SUSTAINING SOCIETAL PEACE: THEORETICAL INSIGHTS AND EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM POST-APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA

This article explores the remarkable transition from apartheid in South Africa, focusing on how this seemingly insurmountable conflict was resolved relatively peacefully. The research delves into the mechanisms and strategies that contributed to de-escalating the prolonged and deeply entrenched societal conflict that defined South Africa from 1947 to 1995 under the apartheid regime. Despite nearly five decades of intense racial segregation and political deadlock, the apartheid system was dismantled through a combination of theoretically sound and empirically tested approaches that facilitated a peaceful transition. The study seeks to uncover the key factors that contributed to this outcome, providing insights into how similar strategies might be applied to resolve other intractable conflicts around the world