African Literature

This module explores a diverse range of African literatures - including works from Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt and South Africa. It will offer an historical account of the emergence and development of these national literatures, while also focusing on some of the major social and political issues they address. Of particular interest will be the epochal impact of colonialism, the conflict between tradition and modernity, the disillusionment of Independence, and the numerous challenges faced by postcolonial African societies. We will also be discussing the significance of the oral tradition in African literature, and the controversy surrounding its use of English, the language of the colonizer. Although literature will be our primary focus, the module will include an analysis of the South African film Tsotsi, and will introduce students to a number of important theoretical concepts in the field of postcolonial studies.