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| Decolonisation of Materialities or Materialisation of (Re-)Colonisation: Symbolisms, Languages, Ecocriticism and (Non)Representationalism in 21st Century Africa
ISBN: 9789956764570
Platform/Publisher: JSTOR / Langaa RPCIG
Digital rights: Users: unlimited; Printing: chapter; Download: chapter
Subjects: Anthropology;
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. |
