Africa Writes Back to Self

Evan M. Mwangi

Description

The profound effects of colonialism and its legacies on African cultures have led postcolonial scholars of recent African literature to characterize contemporary African novels as, first and foremost, responses to colonial domination by the West. In Africa Writes Back to Self, Evan Maina Mwangi argues instead that the novels are primarily engaged in conversation with each other, particularly over emergent gender issues such as the representation of homosexuality and the disenfranchisement of women by male-dominated governments. He covers the work of canonical novelists Nadine Gordimer, Chinua Achebe, NguÅgiÅ wa Thiong'o, and J. M. Coetzee, as well as popular writers such as Grace Ogot, David Maillu, Promise Okekwe, and Rebeka Njau. Mwangi examines the novels' self-reflexive fictional strategies and their potential to refigure the dynamics of gender and sexuality in Africa and demote the West as the reference point for cultures of the Global South.
Preface
Acknowledgments

Introduction: Writing Back to Self

1. Genealogies and Functions of Self-Reflexive Fiction

2. (En)countering Sex in the Nationalist Canon

3. Potentials and Pitfalls of National Language Literatures

4. Orature and Deconstructed Folklore

5. Politicized Palimpsests and Gendered Intertexts

6. Painted Metaphors: The Gendered Deployment of Visual Arts

7. Refiguring (Out) Queer Sexualities

8. Gendered Theoretical Recalibrations

Conclusion
Notes
Works Cited
Index

Sujets

• África
• Africa
• Gender studies

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 02 juillet 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781438426976
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 11 Mo

Extrait

AFRICA WRITES BACK TO SELF Metafiction, Gender, Sexuality

Evan Maina Mwangi

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Afrîca Wrîtes Back to Sef

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Afrîca Wrîtes Back to Sef Metaictîon, Gender, Sexualîty

EVAN MAINA MWANGI

Cover art: Sîmon Murîîthî, “Two Ideas,” 9 11, oî on canvas (coectîon of the author). Courtesy of www.însîdeafrîcanart.com.

Pubîshed by State Unîversîty of New York Press, Abany

© 2009 State Unîversîty of New York

A rîghts reserved

Prînted în the Unîted States of Amerîca

No part of thîs book may be used or reproduced în any manner whatsoever wîthout wrîtten permîssîon. No part of thîs book may be stored în a retrîeva system or transmîtted în any form or by any means încudîng eectronîc, eectrostatîc, magnetîc tape, mechanîca, photocopyîng, recordîng, or otherwîse wîthout the prîor permîssîon în wrîtîng of the pubîsher.

For înformatîon, contact State Unîversîty of New York Press, Abany, NY www.sunypress.edu

Productîon by Eîeen Meehan Marketîng by Fran Keneston

Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Mwangî, Evan.  Afrîca wrîtes back to sef : metaictîon, gender, sexuaîty / Evan Maîna Mwangî.  p. cm.  Incudes bîbîographîca references and îndex.  ISBN 978-1-4384-2681-5 (hardcover : ak. paper)  1. Afrîcan ictîon (Engîsh)—Hîstory and crîtîcîsm. 2. Sef în îterature. 3. Sef-perceptîon în îterature. 4. Sex roe în îterature. 5. Sex în îterature. I. Tîte.

PR9344.M83 2009 823'.91409353—dc22

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2009005428

I dedîcate thîs book to Geraldîne, Betty, Bryan, and Beatrîce Mwangî în apprecîatîon of theîr love and patîence.

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Preface

Acknowedgments

Contents

Introductîon: Wrîtîng Back to Sef

Chapter 1 Geneaogîes and Functîons of Sef-Relexîve Fîctîon

Chapter 2 (En)counterîng Sex în the Natîonaîst Canon

Chapter 3 Potentîas and Pîtfas of Natîona Language Lîteratures

Chapter 4 Orature and Deconstructed Fokore

Chapter 5 Poîtîcîzed Paîmpsests and Gendered Intertexts

Chapter 6

Paînted Metaphors: The Gendered Depoyment of Vîsua Arts

Chapter 7 Reigurîng (Out) Queer Sexuaîtîes

Chapter 8

Concusîon

Notes

Gendered Theoretîca Recaîbratîons

Works Cîted

Index

î

x

xîîî

1

27

65

87

107

137

165

189

235

255

263

293

321

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