Afrikaners in postcolonial Namibia

Contiguous settler colonialism and the question of endurance

Bibliographic Data

ID12653174
AuthorsYehezkel Lein (0009-0006-5746-2822, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, corresponding author)
Year2026
Pages1-23
Publication date2026-01-26
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueNational Identities (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1460-8944 • E-ISSN: 1469-9907
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14608944.2025.2611797
OpenAlexW7125681278
LanguageEN
References cited29

This article examines the endurance of white Afrikaners in postcolonial Namibia. It advances two theoretical hypotheses: first, that settler projects in territories contiguous to metropoles follow distinct dynamics, introducing the concept of contiguous settler colonialism; second, that settlers’ vulnerability in postcolonial states tend to generate a strong sense of place, encouraging their persistence. Based on interviews with Namibian Afrikaners, the study identifies three pillars of this sense of place: entitlement to commercial farms, a hybrid ethnic identity sustained by semi-autonomous institutions, and an imaginary of Namibia as peaceful and tolerant. The findings highlight spatial relations between colonies and metropoles as a key factor in shaping varied settler colonial trajectories.

Colonialism · Ethnic group · Identity (music · Race (biology · African studies and sociopolitical issues · German Colonialism and Identity Studies · South African History and Culture