Modern African francophone and Anglophone Literatures date back to the era of the negritude movement. The pioneer African writer was confronted by the ugly past experiences of the inhumanity of the Trans-Atlantic and Trans-Saharan Slave Trade coupled with the degradation of the colonial period. As a result, he decided to pitch his camp with his suffering people by prefering to portray this evil in his writings, creating awareness on ways forward and calling for reforms. His tool was the sociological method. He laid less emphasis on the German werkimmanenz, the French l’art pour l’art, the Russian Formalism and the North American close-reading. The African feminist writer also turned her back to the Euro-American version of feminism and preferred the home-made ideology termed Womanism and her sister acronyms such as Stiwanism and Motherism which maintain that men and women relationship and apportioning of roles in the society should be complementary and not rivalry-prone or confrontational, while condemning obnoxious cultural and anti-womanist practices. Hence African men and women should concert efforts in liberating the African continent which is still suffering from modern versions of Slavery and Colonialism.This research will apply a multi-disciplinary approach and invoke the womanist, psychoanalytical and existentialist theoretical frameworks inter alia to appraise the relevant works of Chinua Achebe, Aminata Sow Fall and Ahmadou Kourouma inter alia. Through their realist portrayals, these African writers have created awareness of the injustices perpetrated by African oppressors, both Euro-Americans and their African collaborators. This research is a call on African writers for more prophetic and liberating efforts in their creatic works and aesthetics. Liberation Literature should by so doing ursher in a GREAT REFUSAL of the status quo and a way forward towards the birth of the beautiful ones in Africa who will fashion out a home-made literary, political, economic and social transformation for the betterment of not only women, but also men as well as youths of Africa.
Table of Contents
General Introduction
Main Thesis
Body
Womanism, Motherism and Stiwanism as African feminist Revolution per excellence
Definition and Analysis of selected relevant terms
Feminism
Womanism
Revolution
Physical violence
Cultural Violence
Critique of Womanism
Aminata Sow Fall’s Imput
Conclusion
Objectives and Themes
This research aims to critically examine the role of the African writer in the 21st century by advocating for an "African Liberation Literature." It seeks to dismantle the dependence on Euro-American literary canons and ideologies, proposing instead a homegrown, realist, and commitment-oriented approach that integrates indigenous African philosophies to address socio-political injustices.
- Critique of dependency on Euro-American literary theories and academic structures.
- Promotion of "Womanism" as an authentic African feminist alternative to Western feminist models.
- Application of a multidisciplinary approach including psychoanalytical, existentialist, and sociological frameworks.
- Analysis of historical and cultural violence against women in African patriarchal structures.
Excerpt from the Book
Womanism, Motherism and Stiwanism as African feminist Revolution per excellence.
The term revolution has always been linked to violent departure from the status quo. Though instances of revolution has been witnessed in the study of astronomy, economics, politics and sociology, renewed evolution in the study of the terminology revolution has led us to view every departure from the historical pattern of every human endeavour as revolutionary. It is in this sense that one can view the courageous move by the Afro-American and African women and their male sympathizers to carve out a room of their own in the feminist discourse and praxis as a revolution per excellence. Those women led by Alice Walker refused to commit the sin of conformity as regards certain uncomfortable norms and duplicity in the mainstream Euro-American feminism. Their great refusal and prudent dissent to the complicity of their female counterparts in the evils of racism, Trans Atlantic slave trade genocide, colonialism and neo-imperialism propelled them to dig into the golden age of African woman’s exploits which the advent of the colonialists rudely interrupted. This revolution has been termed Womanism. This revolution gave birth to further developments with new nomenclatures viz. Stiwanism, Motherism amongst others.
Summary of Chapters
General Introduction: Provides an overview of the challenges facing African literature, specifically highlighting its persistent reliance on colonial and Euro-American paradigms.
Main Thesis: Argues for the necessity of a re-writing and re-appraisal of African literature to foster an independent, authentic, and result-oriented literary practice.
Body: Elaborates on the defining characteristics of African Liberation Literature, emphasizing the need for Africanized theoretical frameworks and social criticism.
Womanism, Motherism and Stiwanism as African feminist Revolution per excellence: Conceptualizes these ideologies as revolutionary departures from mainstream Western feminism that prioritize communal and harmonious societal transformation.
Definition and Analysis of selected relevant terms: Clarifies terminology regarding the distinctions between mainstream feminism, biological gender categories, and the specific socio-political context of Womanism.
Revolution: Expands the definition of revolution beyond political upheavals to include fundamental departures from historical, economic, and social patterns in various disciplines.
Physical violence: Documents forms of abuse such as matrimonial rape, domestic assault, and the abandonment of family responsibilities.
Cultural Violence: Analyzes oppressive practices including Sororate, Ghost Marriage, Levirate, polygyny, and widowhood rites as systemic tools of patriarchal control.
Critique of Womanism: Evaluates the limitations of womanist ideology, specifically regarding internal societal practices and the complicity of women in perpetuating anti-womanist norms.
Aminata Sow Fall’s Imput: Discusses the literary perspective and social criticism of Aminata Sow Fall, positioning her as an author who witnesses and filters African social realities.
Conclusion: Synthesizes the need for a radical shift in African literary and intellectual practices to achieve true independence from colonial mindsets.
Keywords
African Liberation Literature, Womanism, Post-colonialism, Patriarchy, Literary Criticism, Cultural Violence, African Philosophy, Social Transformation, Feminism, Realist Literature, Indigenous Aesthetics, Gender Studies, Decolonization, Literary Dependence, Sociological Method.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The work primarily focuses on decolonizing African literature by calling for an alternative, authentic framework termed "African Liberation Literature" to replace the prevailing dependence on foreign canons.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The themes include the critique of Euro-American literary influence, the evolution of African feminist thought, the structural analysis of patriarchal violence, and the role of the writer as a social reformer.
What is the primary objective of the study?
The objective is to mobilize African writers and critics to engage in a "soul-searching" process that leads to a re-reading and re-writing of African literary tradition, making it truly indigenous and self-reliant.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The research adopts a multidisciplinary approach, utilizing sociological methods, Freudian psychoanalytical theory, and existentialist frameworks to analyze literature and socio-political conditions.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The body analyzes the definitions of revolutionary movements, the intersection of culture and violence, specific oppressive cultural practices, and the critique of current African intellectual dependence.
How would you describe the key terms of the work?
The work is characterized by terms like Womanism, Liberation Literature, and African aesthetics, which collectively advocate for a distinct, locally-grounded identity in literary and social expression.
How does the author define the relationship between men and women in the African context?
The author promotes a complementary relationship through Womanism, suggesting that men and women should work in concert for the betterment of the family and community, rather than engaging in adversarial gender politics.
What role do African writers have in the fight against cultural violence?
The author argues that writers must adopt a "prophetic" role, using their creative works to satirize and interrogate obnoxious cultural practices and inspire social reformation.
What is the significance of the "General Introduction"?
It establishes the historical context of African literary criticism, starting from the 1959 Congress of Negro Writers and Artists, and identifies the ongoing reliance on foreign theories as a major obstacle.
Why does the author use the term "kwashiorkored" for African academic journals?
The author uses this metaphor to describe the malnourished state of local academic output, which suffers because scholars prioritize publishing in foreign journals to gain prestige rather than developing local intellectual capacity.
- Citar trabajo
- Dr. Dr. Ikechukwu Aloysius Orjinta (Autor), 2013, Liberation Literature and Liberation Feminism for Africa, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/266439
