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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Paying the field: the cultural economy of Afrikaans at Naspers
Author:Botma, GabriëlISNI
Year:2008
Periodical:Ecquid Novi: African Journalism Studies
Volume:29
Issue:1
Pages:42-63
Language:English
Geographic term:South Africa
Subjects:publishing
press
Afrikaans language
national identity
External link:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02560054.2008.9653374
Abstract:Given the received scholarly tradition of examining the South African media in terms of a strictly critical political economy paradigm, this article argues that the debate can be stimulated by introducing key concepts from the field of cultural studies, such as 'cultural economy' and 'cultural capital'. This is done by discussing the changing role of Afrikaans culture in the South African media conglomerate Naspers (formerly known as Nasionale Pers), and by placing the transition of the company - from promoting Afrikaner nationalism and apartheid to supporting a nonracial, inclusive democracy - in the context of critical theory of (post)colonial nationalism. The analysis treats Naspers in relation to its original constituents, Afrikaner nationalists and Afrikaans culture, as well as the historic transformation of its two oldest, and arguably most prominent, print publications, 'Die Burger' and 'Huisgenoot'. A qualitative content analysis was undertaken, using concepts from Pierre Bourdieu's field theory and Partha Chatterjee's critical theory of (post)colonial nationalism. The study argues that the relationship between Naspers and Afrikaans was determined by the nature of nationalism and the requirements of capitalism to which it is linked. Given the present historical context, and ideologically speaking from a cultural economy point of view, the analysis concludes that Afrikaans has become less profitable for Naspers. Bibliogr., notes, sum. [Journal abstract, edited]
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