LEADER 03247nam 22004452 450 001 9910793034603321 005 20180511133045.0 010 $a1-77614-102-4 035 $a(CKB)4100000005956523 035 $a(UkCbUP)CR9781776141029 035 $a(MiAaPQ)EBC5730495 035 $a(Au-PeEL)EBL5730495 035 $a(OCoLC)1090495635 035 $a(EXLCZ)994100000005956523 100 $a20180223d2017|||| uy| 0 101 0 $aeng 135 $aur||||||||||| 181 $ctxt$2rdacontent 182 $cc$2rdamedia 183 $acr$2rdacarrier 200 14$aThe state of secularism $ereligion, tradition and democracy in South Africa /$fDhammamegha Annie Leatt$b[electronic resource] 210 1$aJohannesburg :$cWits University Press,$d2017. 215 $a1 online resource (xv, 232 pages) $cdigital, PDF file(s) 300 $aTitle from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 09 May 2018). 311 $a1-77614-057-5 320 $aIncludes bibliographical references and index. 330 $aThe Dutch Reformed Church, it was said in apartheid South Africa, was the National Party at prayer, and indeed, given that the Bible was so fundamental to much of the legislation that governed the apartheid state, that apparently satirical description had the ring of truth. 'Religion in South Africa's past', writes Dhammamegha Annie Leatt has been 'saturated by politics' and politics 'saturated by religion'. So how, she asks, was it possible for a new state to found itself without religious authority? Why did the churches give up so much of their political role in the transition? How can we think about tradition and the customary in relation to secularism? How can we not? In The State of Secularism Leatt guides the reader from a history of global political secularism through an exploration of the roles played by religion and traditional authority in apartheid South Africa to the position of religion in the post-apartheid state. She analyses the negotiations relating to religion in the constitution-making process, arguing, that South Africa is both secular in its Constitution and judicial foundations and increasingly non-secular in its embrace of traditional authorities and customary law. In the final chapter Leatt turns her attention to post-apartheid South Africa, examining changing relationships between churches and the ruling African National Congress and the increasing influence of traditional leaders and evangelical Christians in an anti-liberal alliance. This book makes a tremendous contribution to the literature on postcolonial politics on the African continent. It has wonderful insights into the founding of a constitutional democracy in South African and will appeal to students in history, politics, sociology and anthropology and constitutional law. 606 $aSecularism$zSouth Africa 606 $aReligion and state$zSouth Africa 607 $aSouth Africa$xPolitics and government 615 0$aSecularism 615 0$aReligion and state 676 $a211.60968 700 $aLeatt$b Dhammamegha Annie$01471551 801 0$bUkCbUP 801 1$bUkCbUP 906 $aBOOK 912 $a9910793034603321 996 $aThe state of secularism$93683872 997 $aUNINA