Knotted memories of a betrayed sacrifice: Rethinking trauma and hope in South Africa

Different groups within South African society express disillusionment with the present through a discourse of betrayal in relation to the liberation movement-cum-governing-party of the African National Congress. This article focuses on a particular articulation of this discourse within two memory communities in the Western Cape (Bonteheuwel and Crossroads) who were embroiled in violence and political struggle during apartheid and continue to suffer conditions of structural violence in the post-apartheid era. It analyses the shared memory narrative of a ‘betrayed sacrifice’ to demonstrate a proposed theoretical concept of ‘knotted memories’ which describes the way in which past and present memories of suffering knot together to produce a lived affective condition of despair. It further considers what these everyday experiences of ‘knotted memories’ mean for re-thinking the nature of trauma and hope in relation to post-apartheid despair.

China's New Foreign Policy since 18th Party Congress and Mongolia-China Relations

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the CPC has entered a new stage of innovation in diplomatic theory and practice, forming Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, which will continue to guide China's major-country diplomacy in the new era. The new diplomatic strategy of the new Chinese government led by Xi Jinping has three features. First, it hopes to actively build a new model of major-country relations. Second, it hopes to build a “destiny community of neighboring countries” diplomacy. Third, to look forward to building a new type of international relations in which win-win cooperation is the top priority of their foreign policy. In this article, I will introduce the new foreign policy adopted by China since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the neighborhood diplomacy featuring amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness. In addition, it also describes the diplomatic relations between Mongolia and China from 2012 to 2021 and important events within the scope of cooperation between the two countries, especially the friendly stories of mutual support and assistance between China and Mongolia after the outbreak of COVID-19. ХКН-ын XVIII их хурлаас хойших Хятад улсын гадаад бодлогын шинэ үзэл санаа ба Монгол, Хятадын харилцаа Хураангуй: 2012 онд ХКН-ын XVIII их хурал хуралдаж, Ши Жиньпин засгийн эрх барьснаар Хятад улсад гадаад харилцааны шинэ үзэл санаа бүрэлдэн тогтож, тус улс цаашид өөрийн онцлог бүхий их гүрний гадаад бодлого баримтлах болно гэдгээ зарласан билээ. Ши Жиньпин-ээр төвлөсөн Хятадын төрийн удирдлагын гадаад бодлогын шинэ стратеги нэгд, их гүрний шинэ маягийн харилцааг бий болгохыг эрмэлзэж буй. Хоёрт, Хятад улс хөрш улс орнууд хоорондын гадаад харилцаанд өндөр ач холбогдол өгч буй. Гуравт, хамтран ажиллах, хамтдаа хожих хамтын ажиллагааг гол болгосон олон улсын шинэ маягийн харилцааг байгуулахыг эрмэлзэж буй зэрэг онцлогтой байна. Энэхүү өгүүлэлд ХКН-ын XVIII их хурлаас хойших Хятад улсын гадаад бодлогын шинэ үзэл санаа, тэр дундаа хөрш зэргэлдээ улс орнуудад хандан хэрэгжүүлж буй “Ойр дотно, чин сэтгэлийн, харилцан ашигтай, уужуу хүртээмжтэй байх” ба “Хүн төрөлхтний хувь заяаны цогц нэгдэл” хэмээх гадаад бодлогын ойлголтын талаар танилцуулж, 2012-2021 онд Монгол, Хятад хоёр улсын гадаад харилцаа, хамтын ажиллагааны хүрээнд болсон үйл явдал, тэр дундаа аюулт цар тахлын эсрэг хамтдаа тэмцсэн хийгээд хоёр талын харилцан бие биедээ тусалж дэмжиж ирсэн түүхүүдийг өгүүлнэ. Түлхүүр үгс: Хятад улсын гадаад бодлого, Ши Жиньпин, XVIII их хурал, хувь заяаны цогц нэгдэл, Монгол, Хятадын харилцаа

Nationalism, Patriotism and Political Ideas of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan: an Analysis

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (Founder of Aligarh Muslim University) was born into a noble Muslim family in 1817; he was a distinguished scholar while working as a lawyer at the British East India Company. After realizing the worthless condition of Muslims, his approach to western education for the benefit of the Muslim community became a priority. This study contemplates that Sir Syed was religiously oriented and very politically aware of nationalism and patriotism. The author uses primary data and also secondary data. The author also explores his main books and articles; the author aims to examine Sir Syed's nationalist and political ideas concerning political significance for Muslims in India. The writer would like to know the result that, what is the reason, Sir Syed was against the Indian National Congress. At the same time, the whole Indian society was afraid of the British, but Sir Syed maintained his good relations with the British, and he also showed the loyalty of the Muslims towards them. This study found the conclusion about Sir Syed that he became a symbol of communal harmony.

The world in 2022: ten issues that will shape the international agenda

2022 will be a year for re-evaluating the limits of inequality, restrictive measures, the stimulus plans, geopolitical tensions, or trust in institutions. The economic and emotional recovery will be uneven and will be conditioned to distresses in the rivalry between great powers, price increases and the full overcoming of the pandemic. The world does not have a problem of diagnosis. The necessity and urgency of the ongoing socio-economic, technological and climate transitions are well-known. Where there is debate, it concerns which type of leadership is best equipped or has most legitimacy to pilot this change, how the process should be conducted to ensure the lowest possible social costs and where the point of no return lies. 2022 is a year when international leaderships face re-examination in key elections in places such as France, Brazil, Hungary, the US (midterms) and at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Which kinds of ideas, people and models will enjoy most support and legitimacy?

India of 1920s as Seen by Soviet Playwright, Consulting Indologists, Theater Critics

The authors of this contribution analyze the circumstances and the history of a popular play that was staged in the Soviet Union in 1927-1928. Titled Jumah Masjid, this play was devoted to the anti-colonial movement in India. A manuscript of the play, not indicating its title and the name of its author, was found in the St. Petersburg Branch of the Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences among the papers related to A.M. and L.A. Meerwarth, members of the First Russian Expedition to Ceylon and India (1914-1918). Later on, two copies of this play under the title The Jumah Masjid were found in the Russian Archive of Literature and Art and in the Museum of the Tovstonogov Grand Drama Theatre. The authors of this article use archival and published sources to analyze the reasons for writing and staging the play. They consider the image of India as portrayed by a Soviet playwright in conjunction with Indologists that served as consultants, and as seen by theater critics and by the audience (according to what the press reflected). Arguably, the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the October Revolution in Russia in 1927 and the VI Congress of the Communist International (Comintern) in 1928 encouraged writing and staging the play. The detailed picture of the anti-colonial struggle in India that the play offered suggests that professional Indologists were consulted. At the same time the play is critical of the non-violent opposition encouraged by Mahatma Gandhi as well as the Indian National Congress and its political wing known as the Swaraj Party. The research demonstrates that the author of the play was G.S. Venetsianov, and his Indologist consultants were Alexander and Liudmila Meerwarth.

Michael Harmel (1915-1974): A South African Communist and His Discourse

<p>This thesis explores the life and work of a South African journalist, editor, and activist Michael Alan Harmel (1915–1974), a political mentor and friend of Nelson Mandela. A resolute believer in racial equality and Marxism-Leninism, Harmel devoted his life to fighting, with “the pen” as well as “the sword”, segregation and apartheid, and promoting an alliance of communists with the African National Congress as a stepping stone to socialism in South Africa. Part 1, after tracing his Jewish-Lithuanian and Irish family roots, follows Harmel from his birth to 1940 when, having joined the Communist Party of South Africa, he got married and was elected secretary of the District Committee in Johannesburg. The focus is on factors germane to the formation of his political identity. The narrative section is accompanied by an analytical sketch. This, using tools of close literary interpretation, catalogues Harmel’s core beliefs as they inscribed themselves in his journalism, histories, a sci-fi novel, party memoranda, and private correspondence. The objective is to delineate his ideological outlook, put to the test the assessment of Harmel—undeniably a skilled publicist—as a “creative thinker” and “theorist”, and determine his actual contribution to the liberation discourse.</p>

Michael Harmel (1915-1974): A South African Communist and His Discourse

<p>This thesis explores the life and work of a South African journalist, editor, and activist Michael Alan Harmel (1915–1974), a political mentor and friend of Nelson Mandela. A resolute believer in racial equality and Marxism-Leninism, Harmel devoted his life to fighting, with “the pen” as well as “the sword”, segregation and apartheid, and promoting an alliance of communists with the African National Congress as a stepping stone to socialism in South Africa. Part 1, after tracing his Jewish-Lithuanian and Irish family roots, follows Harmel from his birth to 1940 when, having joined the Communist Party of South Africa, he got married and was elected secretary of the District Committee in Johannesburg. The focus is on factors germane to the formation of his political identity. The narrative section is accompanied by an analytical sketch. This, using tools of close literary interpretation, catalogues Harmel’s core beliefs as they inscribed themselves in his journalism, histories, a sci-fi novel, party memoranda, and private correspondence. The objective is to delineate his ideological outlook, put to the test the assessment of Harmel—undeniably a skilled publicist—as a “creative thinker” and “theorist”, and determine his actual contribution to the liberation discourse.</p>