About the Book
Examining in detail the apparently inexorable polarization of society in such countries as Rwanda, Algeria, and South Africa, the author questions whether current theories correctly explain the past or offer adequate guides for the future. In their place he puts forward an alternative neo-Durkheimian view of the possibility of non-violent revolutionary change, based on the development of such social and cultural continuities as already exist within each plural society. But he warns that "this is an age of passionate commitment to violence in which vicarious killers abound in search of a Vietnam of their own." The aim of this groundbreaking and challenging book is to create theoretical perspectives in which to view the racial conflict of plural societies. Written in the turbulent early 1970s, the book demonstrates the inadequacy of then prevailing views such as Marxist interpretations of racial conflict as class struggle, and the Fanon a priori rejection of non-violent techniques of change, which Kuper holds responsible for the acceptance of what he calls "the platitudes of violence." The book concludes with more personal sections focusing on the author's struggles with the then prevailing South African society, critiques of that, and censorship of his attempts to make these public. In the light of subsequent changes in South Africa many decades later, this book serves not only as an important work of political sociology but as a personal testament to the fight against racism in South Africa. Leo Kuper was professor of sociology and director of the African Studies Center at the University of California, Los Angeles. A South African by birth, he was one of the first writers on genocide as well as other aspects of African studies and urban sociology. His major book, Genocide (Penguin, 1981), remains in print. The Leo Kuper Foundation is a non-governmental organization dedicated to the eradication of genocide through research, advice, and education. It was created in Washington, DC in 1994 following the death of Leo Kuper, with the aim of improving measures to prevent genocide. The main area of work for the past five years has been in support of the creation of an International Criminal Court. Troy Duster is director at the Institute for the History of the Production of Knowledge, New York University.
Table of Contents:
AldineTransaction Introduction, Preface, PART ONE: IDEOLOGIES, 1. Ideologies of Cultural Difference in Race Relations, 2. Race Structure in the Social Consciousness, 3. Ideologies of Violence among Subordinate Groups, 4. On the Theme 'Black is Beautiful', PART TWO: REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE, 5. Continuities and Discontinuities in Race Relations: Evolutionary or Revolutionary Change, 6. Political Change in White Settler Societies: The Possibility of Peaceful Democratization, 7. Theories of Revolution and Race Relations, 8. Race, Class and Power: Some Comments on Revolutionary Change, 9. Political Change in Plural Societies: Problems in Racial Pluralism, CONCLUSION, 10. A Personal Statement on Revolutionary Change in Race Relations, APPENDIX I - Review of Class and Colour in South Africa - 1850-1950, APPENDIX II - A Matter of Surrogate Censorship, Bibliography, Index
About the Author :
Leo Kuper was professor of sociology and director of the African Studies Center at the University of California, Los Angeles. A South African by birth, he was one of the first writers on genocide as well as other aspects of African studies and urban sociology. His major book, Genocide (Penguin, 1981), remains in print. The Leo Kuper Foundation is a non-governmental organization dedicated to the eradication of genocide through research, advice, and education. It was created in Washington, DC in 1994 following the death of Leo Kuper, with the aim of improving measures to prevent genocide. The main area of work for the past five years has been in support of the creation of an International Criminal Court.
Review :
-Kuper's book is a first rate scholarly contribution to the understanding of the many aspects of racism.-
--Journal of Peace Research
-This book is offered as a challenge and alternative to the (simplified) Marxist vies that racial conflict can be explained by the class struggle, and as a rebuttal to the increasingly common assumption that violence is the only answer to the racial and tribal conflicts in Africa. Both these concerns are, of course, timely and important. Leo Kuper, a distinguished Africanist, answers them with a neo-Durkheimian approach to racially plural societies. The essays reprinted in the present volume represent some of the best of Kuper's recent work.-
--Sharon Stichter, Contemporary Sociology
-Eight of the twelve pieces have been published before, but the weight of Leo Kuper's reputation in political sociology and the burgeoning general interest in racism and ethnicity justify their appearance in a single book. . . . Professor Kuper's detailed scholarship will be irresistible.-
--Sandra Wallman, RAIN
-Kruper's analysis has set an impressive example.-
--Heribert Adam, American Journal of Sociology
-Kruper analyzes the history, mechanisms, and dangers of characterizing various racial groups. . . . [H]is most important contribution lies in his brilliant challenge to Marx's class theory, and his development of alternative propositions based on the all-encompassing significance of the racial factor in certain plural societies. This set of alternative propositions will set the tone and standard of research in this area for some time to come. His work is a reasoned critique of contemporary theories of revolution and societal change.-
--Theophilus Olatunde Odetola, The Journal of Modern African Studies
"Kuper's book is a first rate scholarly contribution to the understanding of the many aspects of racism."
--Journal of Peace Research
"This book is offered as a challenge and alternative to the (simplified) Marxist vies that racial conflict can be explained by the class struggle, and as a rebuttal to the increasingly common assumption that violence is the only answer to the racial and tribal conflicts in Africa. Both these concerns are, of course, timely and important. Leo Kuper, a distinguished Africanist, answers them with a neo-Durkheimian approach to racially plural societies. The essays reprinted in the present volume represent some of the best of Kuper's recent work."
--Sharon Stichter, Contemporary Sociology
"Eight of the twelve pieces have been published before, but the weight of Leo Kuper's reputation in political sociology and the burgeoning general interest in racism and ethnicity justify their appearance in a single book. . . . Professor Kuper's detailed scholarship will be irresistible."
--Sandra Wallman, RAIN
"Kruper's analysis has set an impressive example."
--Heribert Adam, American Journal of Sociology
"Kruper analyzes the history, mechanisms, and dangers of characterizing various racial groups. . . . [H]is most important contribution lies in his brilliant challenge to Marx's class theory, and his development of alternative propositions based on the all-encompassing significance of the racial factor in certain plural societies. This set of alternative propositions will set the tone and standard of research in this area for some time to come. His work is a reasoned critique of contemporary theories of revolution and societal change."
--Theophilus Olatunde Odetola, The Journal of Modern African Studies
"Kuper's book is a first rate scholarly contribution to the understanding of the many aspects of racism."
--Journal of Peace Research
"This book is offered as a challenge and alternative to the (simplified) Marxist vies that racial conflict can be explained by the class struggle, and as a rebuttal to the increasingly common assumption that violence is the only answer to the racial and tribal conflicts in Africa. Both these concerns are, of course, timely and important. Leo Kuper, a distinguished Africanist, answers them with a neo-Durkheimian approach to racially plural societies. The essays reprinted in the present volume represent some of the best of Kuper's recent work."
--Sharon Stichter, Contemporary Sociology
"Eight of the twelve pieces have been published before, but the weight of Leo Kuper's reputation in political sociology and the burgeoning general interest in racism and ethnicity justify their appearance in a single book. . . . Professor Kuper's detailed scholarship will be irresistible."
--Sandra Wallman, RAIN
"Kruper's analysis has set an impressive example."
--Heribert Adam, American Journal of Sociology
"Kruper analyzes the history, mechanisms, and dangers of characterizing various racial groups. . . . [H]is most important contribution lies in his brilliant challenge to Marx's class theory, and his development of alternative propositions based on the all-encompassing significance of the racial factor in certain plural societies. This set of alternative propositions will set the tone and standard of research in this area for some time to come. His work is a reasoned critique of contemporary theories of revolution and societal change."
--Theophilus Olatunde Odetola, The Journal of Modern African Studies
