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panel 17

HOW TO NARRATE AFRICA TODAY: VISIONS AND LITERARY EXPERIENCES / COME RACCONTARE L’AFRICA OGGI. VISIONI ED ESPERIENZE LETTERARIE

 

CONVENOR / PROPONENTE:

  • MICHELA MESCHINI, UNIVERSITÀ DI MACERATA (michela.meschini@unimc.it)
  • CARLA CAROTENUTO, UNIVERSITA' DI MACERATA (carla.carotenuto@unimc.it)

 

In “How to Write about Africa” (2005) the Kenyan writer Binyavanga Wainaina ironically records a number of stereotypes and commonplaces through which the African continent is usually represented to Western readers: “Always use the word ‘Africa’ or ‘Darkness’ or ‘Safari’ in your title. Subtitles may include the words ‘Zanzibar’, ‘Masai’, ‘Zulu’, ‘Zambezi’, ‘Congo’, ‘Nile’, ‘Big’, ‘Sky’, ‘Shadow’, ‘Drum’, ‘Sun’ or ‘Bygone’. Also useful are words such as ‘Guerrillas’, ‘Timeless’, ‘Primordial’ and ‘Tribal’. Note that ‘People’ means Africans who are not black, while ‘The People’ means black Africans.”
This panel aims at exploring the literary representations of Africa through the intersecting voices and gazes of both African and European contemporary authors, in order to provide a more articulate and dynamic vision while also redefining distorted clichés and abstract generalizations. Which images prevail today in the narration of the composite African reality? Which stereotypes, or on the contrary, which unconventional themes and motifs are used? Is it possible to recognize a new ideological and narrative paradigm or is there a substantial continuity with colonial ideas and approaches?

 

In “How to Write about Africa” (2005) lo scrittore kenyota Binyavanga Wainainasuggerisce ironicamente stereotipi e luoghi comuni con i quali raccontare il continenteafricano ad uso e consumo dei lettori occidentali: “Always use the word ‘Africa’ or‘Darkness’ or ‘Safari’ in your title. Subtitles may include the words ‘Zanzibar’, ‘Masai’,‘Zulu’, ‘Zambezi’, ‘Congo’, ‘Nile’, ‘Big’, ‘Sky’, ‘Shadow’, ‘Drum’, ‘Sun’ or ‘Bygone’. Also usefulare words such as ‘Guerrillas’, ‘Timeless’, ‘Primordial’ and ‘Tribal’. Note that ‘People’means Africans who are not black, while ‘The People’ means black Africans.”Questo panel si pone l’obiettivo di esplorare le rappresentazioni letterarie dell’Africa,attraverso voci e sguardi incrociati di autori contemporanei sia africani che europei, al finedi offrire una visione più articolata e dinamica e ridefinire distorti cliché e astrattegeneralizzazioni. Quali le immagini oggi ricorrenti nel racconto della composita realtàafricana? Quali stereotipi, o al contrario, temi e motivi non convenzionali, vengono usati?Si può parlare di un nuovo paradigma ideologico e narrativo o di una sostanziale continuitàcon i luoghi comuni di ascendenza coloniale? Gli interventi devono essere limitati alla produzione letteraria degli ultimi trent’anni. Sonoparticolarmente graditi approcci concernenti la letteratura della migrazione e la letteraturadi viaggio.

 

PAPERS:

  • Saleh Methnani