The Politics of African Literature
The Politics of African Literature
- David AttwellDavid AttwellDepartment of English and Related Literature, University of York
Summary
Noting that many pre- and post-colonial oral forms have always been political, the article focuses on the literary culture wars that arose in the context of mid-20th-century decolonization. These debates include the question of whether writers should use indigenous or colonial languages; the complexities of publishing with access to local and international markets; the adaptation and indigenization of European forms to African value-systems, mythic structures and social realities; and the relationship between cultural decolonization and debates in Europe after 1968, when the emphasis fell on questioning realism. The article concludes by noting that the cultural nationalism of the 20th century is giving way to new forms of transnational politics.
Keywords
Subjects
- Groups and Identities
- Political Values, Beliefs, and Ideologies
- Post Modern/Critical Politics
- World Politics
