Contesting Transformation: Popular Resistance in Twenty-First Century South Africa

Contesting Transformation is the definitive critical survey of the state of popular struggle in South Africa today. From township revolts to labour struggles, much has been written about social movements in post-apartheid South Africa. Most of this writing - produced when these movements were at their peak - tended to idealise grassroots resistance.

This collection lays bare the contradictions and complexities in movement activism. The contributors critically reflect on a range of popular resistance efforts and grapple with the myriad ways in which transformation is conceived by grassroots actors. They also assess the extent to which these understandings challenge the narrative of the ruling African National Congress (ANC).