南非外交政策关键主题概述

Critical themes in South Africa's foreign policy: An overview

本文是对过去20年学界研究活跃的南非外交政策关键主题的一个综合回顾,作者将这些主题置于更广泛的背景中考察,包括重要的哲学挑战、南非的发展转型,以及曼德拉和姆贝基总统治下政策形成时期的管理困境等。这个大历史背景也为重点观察南非外交政策的六个重要主题提供了分析参数。这六个主题可以说决定了围绕南非外交政策行为而展开的争论和思考,它们分别是:国家层面的制度动态,多边和全球议程,贸易和经济外交,和平、安全和调解方面,捐赠与发展援助角色,以及仇外主义的折磨。在南非维持其中等强国地位并发挥其塑造非洲和全球议程软实力的过程中,这些主题将持续对南非外交政策界的集体努力产生深远影响。通过对这些主题的考察,文章结尾也将对当前祖马政府面临的规范性、实质性和政策性挑战提出一些思考。

This article represents a synthetic overview of the key themes which have animated scholarly research in South Africa's foreign policy over the last two decades. These themes will be addressed and are situated against the broad contextual background of important philosophical challenges, transitional developments, and managerial dilemmas during the formative presidential periods of Mandela and Mbeki. This context provides the analyticalparameters for the focus on six themes which arguably shape debates and thinking about the conduct of South Africa's foreign policy,namely: the institutional dynamics at the level of the state; the multilateral and global agenda;trade and economic diplomacy; the peace,security, and mediation dimension; the donor and development assistance role; and the scourge of xenophobia. These themes will continue to exercise a profound influence on the collective endeavour of South Africa's foreign policy community to sustain its standing as a middle-power with soft power assets that is able to shape African and global agendas.Arising from these thematic considerations,some concluding thoughts highlight on-going normative, substantive, and policy challenges for the Zuma administration.