The Emergence of the South African Metropolis
Cities and Identities in the Twentieth Century

A pioneering account of how South Africa's three leading cities were fashioned, experienced, promoted and perceived.

Vivian Bickford-Smith (Author)

9781107002937, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 16 May 2016

340 pages, 14 b/w illus. 2 colour illus. 7 maps
23.5 x 15.6 x 2 cm, 0.67 kg

'… this work is a real contribution not only to the historical literature on South Africa, but also to that on the modern city. It is an original, incisive and impressively erudite account of the politics of discursive struggles around urbanism and urbanization.' Jonathan Hyslop, Global Urban History

Focusing on South Africa's three main cities - Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban - this book explores South African urban history from the late nineteenth century onwards. In particular, it examines the metropolitan perceptions and experiences of both black and white South Africans, as well as those of visitors, especially visitors from Britain and North America. Drawing on a rich array of city histories, travel writing, novels, films, newspapers, radio and television programs, and oral histories, Vivian Bickford-Smith focuses on the consequences of the depictions of the South African metropolis and the 'slums' they contained, and especially on how senses of urban belonging and geography helped create and reinforce South African ethnicities and nationalisms. This ambitious and pioneering account, spanning more than a century, will be welcomed by scholars and students of African history, urban history, and historical geography.

1. Introduction
2. Inventing British cities in Africa
3. More Babylon than Birmingham?
4. Selling sunlit cities
5. Bitter cries and black Baudelaires
6. Remembrance of things past.

Subject Areas: Human geography [RGC], Urban communities [JFSG], African history [HBJH]