Part 1 Introduction: the uncertain promise of southern Africa, York Bradshaw, Stephen N. Ndegwa balance of power in southern Africa, Colin Legum. Part 2 Countries: South Africa - transition to majority rule, transformation to stable democracy, Kenneth W. Grundy Zimbabwe - the erosion of authoritarianism and prospects for democracy, Masipula Sithole democracy and development in post-independence Namibia, Joshua Bernard Forrest democratising the administrative state in Botswana, John D. Holm, Staffan Darnoff militarism, warfare and the search for peace in Angola, Horace G. Campbell celebration and confrontation, resolution and restructuring - Mozambique from independence to the Millennium, M. Anne Pitcher. Part 3 Themes: popular culture in southern Africa, David B. Coplan gendered terrains - negotiating land and development, whose reality counts? Jean Davidson law and gender in southern Africa, Chuma Himonga education in southern Africa - the paradox of progress, Bruce Fuller, Allen Caldwell health and society in southern Africa in times of economic turbulence, Ezekiel Kalipeni business in southern Africa, Tony Dyer, Sue Kell compendium of data for the quantitative analysis of southern Africa, Leizell Bradshaw.