Decolonisation of Materialities or Materialisation of (Re-)Colonisation?: Symbolisms, Languages, Ecocriticism and (Non)Representationalism in 21st Century Africa

ISBN 10: 9956763942 / ISBN 13: 9789956763948

Published by Langaa RPCID, 2017

About this Item

Seller Inventory # I-9789956763948

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Decolonisation of Materialities or Materialisation of (Re-)Colonisation?: Symbolisms, Languages, Ecocriticism and (Non)Representationalism in 21st Century Africa
• Publisher: Langaa RPCID
• Publication Date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9956763942
• ISBN 13: 9789956763948
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

Contemporary scholarly discourses about decolonising materialities are taking two noticeable trajectories, the first trajectory privileges establishing "connections", "relationships" and "associations" between human beings and nature. The second trajectory privileges restoration, restitution, reparations for colonial dispossessions, lootings and disinheritance. While the first trajectory presupposes that colonialism was merely about "separation", "alienation", and "disconnections" between human beings and nature, the second trajectory stresses the colonialists' dispossession, disinheritance and privations of Africans. Drawing on contemporary discourses about materialities in relation to semiotics, (non-)representationalism, rhetoric, ecocriticism, territorialisation, deterritorialisation and reterritorialisation, translation, animism, science and technology studies, this book teases out the intellectually rutted terrain of African materialities. It argues that in a world of increasing impoverishment, the significance of materialities cannot be overemphasised: more so for the continent of Africa where impoverishment "materialises" in the midst of resource opulence. The book is a pacesetter in no holds barred interrogation of African materialities.

About the Authors

Artwell Nhemachena holds a PhD in Social Anthropology and lectures in Sociology at the University of Namibia.

Jairos Kangira is Professor of Rhetoric Studies and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Namibia.

Nelson Mlambo holds a PhD and currently lectures in the Department of Language and Literature Studies at the University of Namibia.