Edited by David Boucher and Bongani Ngqulunga
A new scholarly volume, Reappraising the Life and Legacy of Jan C Smuts, offers a fresh and wide-ranging examination of one of South Africa’s most influential and controversial historical figures, Jan C. Smuts. Moreover, the book positions Smuts within both national and global historical debates.
The contributors explore both familiar and lesser-known aspects of Smuts’ life and legacy. In doing so, they reveal tensions between political rhetoric, policy formulation, and the realities of implementation.
Successes and failures in leadership and policy
The book revisits Smuts’ successes and failures in leadership and policy. It examines these dimensions within South Africa and on the global stage. In addition, it introduces intriguing and less-explored themes. These include Smuts’ representation in film, his relationship with the South Wales miners and his views on the atomic bomb. Through this approach, Reappraising the Life and Legacy of Jan C Smuts expands conventional interpretations of his influence.
Together, the essays present a nuanced reassessment of Smuts as a political thinker, statesman and historical figure. His influence continues to shape debates about South Africa’s past and its place in the world. Therefore, Reappraising the Life and Legacy of Jan C Smuts contributes meaningfully to ongoing scholarly and public discourse.
This wide-ranging volume re-evaluates many aspects of Smuts’ life, philosophy, political career and legacy. It is an important and timely book that explores one of South Africa’s most consequential and controversial leaders.
– Luc-André Brunet, Contemporary International History, The Open University.
About the editors
David Boucher is a distinguished political theorist and historian of political thought. He is Professor of Political Philosophy and International Relations. In addition, he has held academic appointments at leading universities in both the United Kingdom and South Africa.
His research focuses on the history of political thought, international political theory, and the philosophy of international relations. Furthermore, Boucher has published extensively on thinkers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, T. H. Green, and R. G. Collingwood. He has also explored themes such as sovereignty, international society, and the ethical foundations of global politics.
He is the author and editor of numerous influential books and scholarly articles. Moreover, he has contributed significantly to contemporary debates on political theory and international relations.
Bongani Ngqulunga is a South African historian, writer, and public intellectual. He serves as Director of the Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study. Previously, Ngqulunga worked in the South African Presidency as a policy and research specialist. He also served as spokesperson to former President Kgalema Motlanthe.
He is the author of several acclaimed works of historical biography. These include the award-winning The Man Who Founded the ANC: A Biography of Pixley ka Isaka Seme. This work received the Sunday Times Alan Paton Award for non-fiction. In addition, his later work, The First President: A Life of John L. Dube, Founding President of the ANC, further established him as a leading scholar of South African intellectual and political history.
- PUBLISHER | UJ Press |
- ISBN | 978-1-7764896-7-1|
- Recommended Retail Price | R375.00 |
- Classification | History |
