Contradictions of Democracy
Vigilantism and Rights in Post-Apartheid South Africa
Nicholas Rush Smith
Reviews and Awards
"The book provides a striking example of how anthropological approaches are making inroads into the field of urban studies." -- Timothy Gibbs, University College London, English Historical Review
"In this compelling work, Nicholas Smith traces vigilantism in post-apartheid South Africa to the tension between due process and perceptions of injustice when those suspected of crime or witchcraft go free. Drawing on 20 months of remarkable ethnographic research in two townships near Durban and Johannesburg, he suggests that the politics of vigilantism reflect state formation rather than state failure." -Elisabeth Jean Wood, Yale University
"Smith has produced an empathic and compelling book on vigilantism in contemporary South Africa. His deft narrative explores with nuance the choices young men make and the consequences they face as they turn to violence in search of the elusive fruits of liberation. Brave, original and timely, Smith's work deserves a wide readership among scholars of political violence, state formation and youth activism in South Africa and beyond." - Zachariah Mampilly, Vassar College
"Smith's central argument is that vigilantism persists in South Africa not because the criminal justice system is weak but because the citizenry rejects the principles that animate it. A provocative argument on the moral dimensions of state formation, this book ought to attract wide interest among political scientists, socio-legal scholars, political anthropologists, and many others besides." -Jonny Steinberg, University of Oxford
"Uncharacteristic of most academic work, Smith's book presents his analysis using compelling narratives. Whether he means to be and without detracting from the rigor of his analysis, Smith is an effective storyteller.... Contradictions of Democracy is an accessible, compelling book about an important subject that offers readers new arguments about what drives vigilantism in South Africa. Smith's book will appeal to readers who follow South African politics and society. It will also appeal to readers more broadly interested in understanding the implications of declining citizen trust in the police and the judicial system to keep communities safe." -The Washington Post, "The Monkey Cage"
