Nelson Mandela, Robben Island and the Imagination of a New South Africa

Robben Island's prison experience, particularly during Nelson Mandela's incarceration from 1962 to the early 1990s, significantly shaped South Africa's discourse on belonging. The study reveals that through formal education and informal seminars, Mandela and his fellow prisoners grappled with complex questions of identity, race, nation, and political economy. This process allowed them to articulate and rehearse alternative visions for a post-apartheid South Africa, demonstrating the transformative power of collective introspection and debate in redefining national identity.

Soudien, C. (2015). Nelson Mandela, Robben Island and the Imagination of a New South Africa. Journal of Southern African Studies, 41(2), 353–366. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057070.2015.1012915