Detention without trial : the experience of the Reverend Douglas Thompson in the South African state of emergency, 1960

Abstract

This article is a Lyotardian “little narrative” of the experience of Methodist minister Douglas Thompson’s period in detention during the 1960 state of emergency in South Africa. It highlights the way in which Thompson boosted the morale of fellow detainees through his conduct of religious services – acts which reflect Scott’s “arts of resistance” of the powerless. It presents a picture of the white left/liberal opposition during this period and illustrates the importance of the churches to act decisively against the apartheid state during the period.