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South African Literature

ENGL 775.401
instructor(s):
W 9-12

In this advanced seminar, we will consider South African writing from the 1970s to the present. We will track the cultural shifts that accompanied the transition from apartheid to democracy. Readings will include all genres: poetry, drama, short fiction, novels, and essays. The course will also have a strong theoretical component and will therefore be useful to all graduate students with an interest in the relationship between literature and politics. Requirements include an oral presentation on any assigned topic and a final paper, which may or may not be based on the presentation, depending on the student's evolving interests. Texts include: Percy Mtwa and Mbongeni Ngema, Woza Albert!; Athol Fugard, Statements, The Port Elizabeth Plays, A Lesson from Aloes, My Children, My Afrika!; Jeremy Cronin, Inside and Out (please order now from exclusivebooks.com in South Africa); Miriam Tlali, Muriel at Metropolitan (second-hand copies available from amazon.com); Sindiwe Magona, Mother to Mother, Fatima Dike, So What's New?; Andre Brink, Dry White Season; J. M. Coetzee, Waiting for the Barbarians, Life and Times of Michael K and Age of Iron; Nadine Gordimer, July's People, None To Accompany Me and selected stories; Mark Behr, The Smell of Apples, Ivan Vladislavic, The Restless Supermarket and selected stories (from exclusivebooks.com); Phaswane Mphe, Our Hillbrow (from exclusivebooks.com); Zakes Mda, Ways of Dying and The Heart of Redness; essays by Albie Sachs, Njabulo Ndebele, Achmat Dangor, Marlene van Niekerk, Achille Mbembe and others.

fulfills requirements