Friedman, S. (2017). The Sounds of Silence: Structural Change and Collective Action in the Fight against Apartheid. South African Historical Journal, 69(2), 236-250.
An academic article about the collective actions in the fight against Apartheid reveals why the resistance became stronger 1970s and shows what historical events affected the spread of the protest movement. Friedman (2017) states that “the decade was a period in which change in both social structures and political agency laid the foundation for resistance in the 1970s and beyond” (p. 236). South Africa of the Apartheid period was the world where the economy only begins its manufacturing period, thus, the government needed a more skilled and educated workforce (Friedman, 2017). It gave the affected people opportunity to get a little education and enforced their willingness to resist the regime.
The context provided by Friedman’s article will help me support the thesis about the importance of resistance during the Apartheid. Moreover, I can use the historical explanation of the events to clarify the reasons why the protesting movement had a successful impact on abolishing discrimination. The article also includes a description of the Black Consciousness Movement, and I can implement its history as an example of resistance and share its achievements to support my thesis.
Ndhlovu, B. C. (2017). Reconnoitering Alternative Forms of Resistance to Apartheid South Africa, c. 1966–1979 and Beyond: A Case Of An Individual. South African Historical Journal, 69(2), 178-194.
The source describes events of 1966–1979 – the Apartheid period when the regime was the strictest. Ndhlovu (2017) states that “the emergence and alteration in resistance measures were largely propelled by ‘subjects’ desire to free themselves from the rituals of oppression” (p. 179). People fought against discrimination by committing crimes with political context, setting protests, and expanding the opposition through education (Ndhlovu, 2017). The protesting movements grew through that period, and the article showed how an individual could force changes in policies of Apartheid.
The context of Ndhlovu’s article contains a historical period when Apartheid’s approaches affected people the most and therefore forced the resistance to grow. The author also included particular actions like crimes committed against the regime, and I can use them as protests’ examples description. Based on the article, I can support my thesis statement by describing how the resistance expanded and how the regime conducted with it.