Research Brief: What Drives Violence in South Africa
- Posted on
- In Publications, Research
- by Jasmina Brankovic
This research brief outlines the literature on drivers of violence in South Africa and then puts it in context by summarising views on violence among community members who work with CSVR in four local communities. The brief shows that violence prevention initiatives need to move beyond a cause-and-effect approach that focuses on episodes and types of violence. We should see violence as a web, with criss-crossing forms that blur the line between victim and perpetrator as they evolve over time. To understand violence in South Africa, we need to stop talking about a 'culture of violence' and pay attention to how context turns the risk of violence into a reality.
Dr. Jasmina Brankovic is the Senior Research Specialist at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. With a focus on participatory methods, Jasmina conducts research on inequality and socioeconomic transformation, climate justice, narrative change, and civil society strategies in transitional contexts. Her publications include 'Violence, Inequality and Transformation: Apartheid Survivors on South Africa's Ongoing Transition' (2020), 'The Global Climate Regime and Transitional Justice' (2018) and 'Advocating Transitional Justice in Africa: The Role of Civil Society' (2018). She has a PhD in Political Science from the University of Marburg (Centre for Conflict Studies).
