Nelson Mandela: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring

A pathbreaking analysis of the relationship between Mandela the myth, and Mandela the historical figure, looking at the way images, stories, and politics have been combined to create the iconic image of Mandela that we know today.

Boehmer explores the long trajectory of Mandela's life, explaining first the historical and political context of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, and then the post-apartheid period of difficult reconciliation, including the shifts and changes in Mandela's reputation since the millennium.

This innovative postcolonial reflection takes on board the more critical revisionist literature on Mandela that has emerged since 2015, looking at responses to his death in 2013, and the 2018 commemorations of the 100th anniversary of his birth.

The first edition set a trend in scholarship on Mandela by reading his character and achievements through the lens of his influences, interests, and leading ideas. The second edition extends this focus with a far-reaching critical look at meanings of reconciliation and Mandela's ethic of reciprocity.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Elleke Boehmer, Professor of World Literature in English, FRSL FRHistS

Elleke Boehmer started her career lecturing in English and postcolonial literature at the Universities of Exeter and Leeds. In 2000 she moved to a chair in colonial and postcolonial literature at Nottingham Trent University and in 2004 and took up the Hildred Carlile chair in English at Royal Holloway, University of London. In 2019 Boehmer was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, UK. She is an Honorary Fellow of St John's College, Oxford.