Can the power in people be greater than the people in power? : Understanding how differences in discourse can influence tension between social movements and governments regarding spatial justice in Cape Town

Abstract: This thesis aims to contribute to the academic discussion and deepen the understanding of tensions in the relationship between social movements, and governmental actors. This has been done by examining discrepancies in the discourse, between governmental actors and social movements, on spatial justice-related issues in Cape Town and how tensions remain to exist whilst working for similar causes. Discrepancies were found using the discourse analysis approach What’s the Problem Represented to be. The material analyzed was collected from governmental policy documents, reports from the social movements, and complementary interviews were held with social movements. Three detected discrepancies were found around: insufficient living environments, the role of economic growth and ideological beliefs, and the understanding of meaningful engagement. The results show that the legacies of Apartheid and post-Apartheid structures also shape the tensions in the relationship between social movements and the government. The conclusion is followed by arguing for a need for attentiveness to power structures and meaningful participatory processes to overcome inequalities. Identifiers, as found in our study on spatial injustice in Cape Town, for understanding tension in the relationship between governments and social movement can be found in similar structures in a wider context.