Crossing the River

Aurora Hammeren

Description

What do you do when you realize that one of your most fundamental ideas about yourself is actually false? How do you resituate yourself in a world that has been turned upside down? This book charts the early stage of the author's journey of gender transition, as well as her process of settling down in South Africa as a fledgling academic. The story is a deeply personal one, but also one that will resonate with other transgender people, migrants, academic hopefuls, and border-crossers of all kinds. As a story of coming to terms with an identity in flux, it illustrates the fundamental open-endedness of all human identities.

Informations

• Publié par: Langaa RPCIG
• Date de parution: 02 novembre 2018
• Nombre de lectures: 2
• EAN13: 9789956550173
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Crossing the River

Crossing the River

Miriam Aurora Hammeren Pedersen

Crossing The River Miriam Aurora Hammeren Pedersen

L a ng a a R esea rch & P u blishing CIG Mankon, Bamenda

Publisher: LangaaRPCIG Langaa Research & Publishing Common Initiative Group P.O. Box 902 Mankon Bamenda North West Region Cameroon [e-mail] www.langaa-rpcig.net Distributed in and outside N. America by African Books Collective [e-mail] www.africanbookscollective.com ISBN-10: 9956-550-75-2 ISBN-13:978-9956-550-75-3 ©Miriam Aurora Hammeren Pedersen 2019 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying and recording, or be stored in any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher

I thank the following people for reading through and commenting on the manuscript: Jeanette Solstad Remø, Professor Francis B. Nyamnjoh, Maria R., Joy Spring, Nomsa, my parents, and Laura, who, apart from being an inspiring presence, has given me continuous feedback since the very first draft. I am also thankful to the Langaa appointed three anonymous reviewers who gave very useful feedback.

About the Book What do you do when you realize that one of your most fundamental ideas about yourself is actually false? What if, immediately after this realization, you suddenly find yourself in a strange place and surrounded by unfamiliar people? How do you resituate yourself in a world that has been turned upside down? This book is a work of creative nonfiction. It charts the early stage of the author’s journey of gender transition, as well as her process of moving away from her home country Norway and settling down in South Africa as a fledgling academic. The story is a deeply personal one, but also one that will resonate with other transgender people, migrants, academic hopefuls, and border-crossers of all kinds. As a story of coming to terms with an identity in flux, it illustrates the fundamental open-endedness of all human identities. The book aims to inform, but also to inspire. It aims to share the real-life experiences of one transgender anthropologist with a wider audience. It aims to provide support and encouragement to other transgender people who might feel out of place in the academic world and the world in general. It aims to highlight some salient features of Norwegian as well as South African society, and to contribute – in a small way – to breaking down European myths about Africa as well as African myths about Europe. Most importantly, it aims to illustrate how our common humanity ultimately transcends all socially created boundaries and divisions. In this age of polarization and zero-sum games, this message cannot be repeated often enough.

Table of contents Key terms / Please note...................................vii

Prelude............1......................................................

Chapter 1: Coming out.....................................17

Chapter 2: Settling in........................................39

Chapter 3: Stepping up......................6.........7......

Chapter 4: Showdown.......................................89

Epilogue 1............................................................109

Epilogue 2........................................................113....

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