Overview

Once a marginal political issue, crime control now occupies a central place on the social, political and economic agenda of contemporary liberal democracies. Nowhere more so than in post-apartheid South Africa, where the transition from apartheid rule to democratic rule was marked by a shift in concern from political to criminal violence. In this book Anne-Marie Singh offers a comprehensive account of policing transformations in post-apartheid South Africa. Her analysis of crime and mechanisms for its control is linked to an analysis of neo-liberal policies, providing the basis for a critique of existing analyses of liberal democratic governance. Themes addressed in the book include the exercise of coercive authority, state and non-state expertise in policing, the 'rationally-choosing' criminal, and the importance of developing an active and responsible citizenship.

Full Product Details

9780367603496

Table of Contents

Reviews

'Singh provides a fascinating account of how under the guise of fighting crime the South African population is subject to a process of democratization through crime in a nation where criminal justice policies have become a weighty indicator of good governance. An insightful contribution to the literatures on crime, policing and governance.' Kevin D. Haggerty, University of Alberta, Canada 'This is an exciting book. In addition to bringing a new perspective to known developments, and covering new ground, Singh uses her analysis of the South African transition to challenge established theoretical understandings of security governance. This is an important and insightful contribution. It adds significantly to policing, governance and regulatory scholarship.' Clifford Shearing, University of Cape Town, South Africa 'This volume is a very welcome addition to a literature too often notable for its lack of any serious engagement with theory. It challenges some too casually received wisdoms and sheds some new theoretical light on a critical period in South Africa's transition to democracy.' British Journal of Criminology

’Singh provides a fascinating account of how under the guise of fighting crime the South African population is subject to a process of democratization through crime in a nation where criminal justice policies have become a weighty indicator of good governance. An insightful contribution to the literatures on crime, policing and governance.’ Kevin D. Haggerty, University of Alberta, Canada ’This is an exciting book. In addition to bringing a new perspective to known developments, and covering new ground, Singh uses her analysis of the South African transition to challenge established theoretical understandings of security governance. This is an important and insightful contribution. It adds significantly to policing, governance and regulatory scholarship.’ Clifford Shearing, University of Cape Town, South Africa 'This volume is a very welcome addition to a literature too often notable for its lack of any serious engagement with theory. It challenges some too casually received wisdoms and sheds some new theoretical light on a critical period in South Africa’s transition to democracy.' British Journal of Criminology

Author Information

Anne-Marie Singh, Ryerson University, Canada

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