Zulu Shores, South Africa

Post-apartheid South Africa is a good 'laboratory' tostudy 'race' related topics. This unique countrygives us the opportunity to look at the newrelationships between the different groups (Whites,Blacks, Indians and Coloureds) that were forciblysegregated during the colonial and the apartheideras. Racism did not end with the abrogation ofapartheid laws in the beginning of the 1990's. Evenif the country looks today superficially changed,evolution of mentalities and perceptions between thedifferent groups are slow. Racism still exists but issometimes concealed behind new politically correctstatements and practices. Most of environmental legislations and philosophiesduring the colonial and apartheid eras wereorientated towards discrimination of non-whitegroups, both in urban planning and protected areasmaking. Today what can be done to manage this legacy?Our aim is to study coastal environmental conflictsin Zululand to look at current race relations, in aparticular geographical context of urban, rural andmarginal areas, coveted by various political andcapitalist interests at various levels, e.g.international, national and local.