Publishing against Apartheid South Africa: A Case Study of Ravan Press

Elizabeth le Roux

doi:10.1017/9781108642736

Series: Elements in Publishing and Book Culture

Publishing against Apartheid South Africa

A Case Study of Ravan Press

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 08 December 2020

Elizabeth le Roux

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Elizabeth le Roux: Affiliation:
University of Pretoria

Summary

In many parts of the world, oppositional publishing has emerged in contexts of state oppression. In South Africa, censorship laws were enacted in the 1960s, and the next decade saw increased pressure on freedom of speech and publishing. With growing restrictions on information, activist publishing emerged. These highly politicised publishers had a social responsibility, to contribute to social change. In spite of their cultural, political and social importance, no academic study of their history has yet been undertaken. This Element aims to fill that gap by examining the history of the most vocal and arguably the most radical of this group, Ravan Press. Using archival material, interviews and the books themselves, this Element examines what the history of Ravan reveals about the role of oppositional print culture.

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Keywords

anti-apartheid oppositional publishing print culture publishing history Ravan Press

Type: Element
Information: Series: Elements in Publishing and Book Culture

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108642736 [Opens in a new window]

Online ISBN: 9781108642736

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication: 07 January 2021

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