What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to assess the knowledge and interest of South Africans regarding international affairs.

May 25, 2026Open Access

A foreign concept: what South Africans know about international affairs

Key Points

This research aims to assess the knowledge and interest of South Africans regarding international affairs.
Conducted a representative survey with 2,739 respondents aged 16 and older
Included a specific module on foreign policy in the 2013 SASAS
Funded by the Open Society Foundation's South African Foreign Policy Initiative
Survey shows varying levels of knowledge about foreign policy among South Africans
Indicates a notable degree of interest in international affairs
Highlights a need for more representative studies on public understanding of foreign issues

Abstract

How knowledgeable are South Africans about world affairs; and do they care? Benjamin Roberts, Steven Gordon and Jare Struwig examine new survey evidence on levels of interest and knowledge of foreign policy issues. There exist relatively few representative studies on the public knowledge of foreign affairs in contemporary South Africa. To address this lack of evidence, the Open Society Foundation's (OSF) South African Foreign Policy Initiative funded the inclusion of a module on foreign policy in the 2013 round of the South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS). A representative sample of 2 739 respondents, aged 16 years and older and living in private homes, took part in the survey.

Read Full Paperexternally

AIに質問

Bookmark

View Full Paper