National Liberation and the Political Life of Exile: Sex, Gender, and Nation in the Struggle Against Apartheid (New African Histories)

The first book-length study to reveal how women in exile shaped South Africa’s antiapartheid movement This groundbreaking book explores the often-overlooked role of women in South Africa’s liberation movements, particularly within the African National Congress during its years in exile from 1960 to 1990.It examines how transformations in gender roles-though contested-were central to imagining a postapartheid South Africa. Through an analysis of women’s diplomatic work and their advocacy for policies on sexual education, birth control, family life, and childcare, Rachel Sandwell challenges traditional narratives that have ignored or minimized women’s contributions.She highlights how South African women played a crucial role in connecting exiles to left-wing international organizations like the Women’s International Democratic Federation, positioning women as key figures in global anticolonial politics. The book also explores how gender transformation was at the heart of the exiled antia