John Siko

Inside South Africa's Foreign Policy (eBook, PDF)

Diplomacy in Africa from Smuts to Mbeki

• Format: PDF

Produktbeschreibung

South Africa is a major player in African diplomacy. Its economic, diplomatic and military resources far outstrip those of other nations on the continent, and it has, since the country's 1994 democratic transition, sought to take a lead role in the continent's relations with other power blocs, particularly during the 1999-2008 presidency of Thabo Mbeki. While Mbeki's push for greater African engagement in the global political sphere drew widespread praise, other positions-notably its seeming inaction toward Zimbabwe and perceived abandonment of its stated emphasis on human rights in foreignpolicy-were more controversial, both at home and abroad. John Siko has had insider access to South Africa's leading foreign policy players, and has been able to ask why Pretoria has taken its various stances and who has mattered in influencing those decisions, a topic little examined since 1994. In addition, he examines the foreign policy process over the past century, determining that despite ANC promises of greater democratic engagement on foreign policy, the process has changed quite little.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Bloomsbury UK
• Seitenzahl: 352
• Erscheinungstermin: 16. Juni 2014
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9780857723710
• Artikelnr.: 46739754

Autorenporträt

John Siko, based in Dubai, is a director of Burnham Global, a security consultancy. He previously spent 15 years in the US Government, entirely focused on African political, economic and security issues. This included long-term postings in Africa. Siko has taught courses on African security and politics at Georgetown University and George Washington University and is the author of Inside South Africa's Foreign Policy: Diplomacy in Africa from Smuts to Mbeki (IB Tauris, 2014). Siko has a doctorate in African politics from the University of South Africa.

Inhaltsangabe

Chapter 1: Understanding South African Foreign Policymaking 7 Chapter 2: A
Brief History of South African Foreign Policy 15 Chapter 3: Public Opinion
and Pressure Groups 34 Chapter 4: The Press 48 Chapter 5: Academia 61
Chapter 6: Business 87 Chapter 7: Parliament 102 Chapter 8: Ruling Parties
115 Chapter 9: Government Departments 126 Chapter 10: The Prime Minister
and President 143 Chapter 11: Conclusion-Room, But Not Willingness, for
Engagement 158 Bibliography 162 Appendix: List of Interviews 186 Endnotes