This thoughtful book explores the history and ongoing dilemmas of land use and land reform in South Africa. Including both theoretical and applied examples of the evolution of South Africa's current geography of land use, the authors provide a succinct overview of land reform and evaluate the range of policies conceived over time to redress the country's stark racial land imbalance. Drawing on compelling case studies from across South Africa, they illustrate not only the progress of land reform, but also how reforms fit within the larger historical context of racialized land use. This is the first book of its kind to fully apply geographical theory to the case of South African land reform. Rather than rely on one-dimensional technicist explanations to discuss the shortcomings of the country's land reform program, this rich study places it in the context of bitter battles between groups seeking to exploit land policies for their own benefit.

Preface and Acknowledgments1. The Multiple Meanings of Land and Agrarian ChangePart I: Theorizing Land Reform and Agrarian Change2. Theoretical Insights for Land Reform3. The Making of Land Policy before 19484. Post-1948 Land Questions and Territorial Dominance5. Space, Race, and the Fall and Rise of Hegemonic BlocsPart II: The Ideals versus the Realities of Land Reform6. Continuity and Change in the Former Bantustans7. Land Reform, Farmworkers, and Commercial Farming Areas8. Tenure Reform and Small-Scale Agriculture in the "Colored Reserves"9. The Land Question in National Parks10. The Urban Built Environment and Land Claims11. Conclusion: Land Reform for What? Reengaging Epistemological and Pragmatic QuestionsReferencesIndex