SoSe 19: S-Colonial and Postcolonial Literatures: Postcolonial Studies II: Afropolitanism
Cordula Lemke
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In her seminal essay "Bye-bye Babar", Taiye Selasi describes afropolitanism in a celebratory manner: "You'll know us when you see us by our funny blend of London fashion, New York jargon, professional drive and parent-pleasing manners. We are Afropolitans: not citizens but Africans of the world." Her aim of presenting a new image of 'Africa' has had a huge impact on identity constructions and has brought forth a whole array of writers that were labelled 'afropolitan'. In this seminar we will take a look at early afropolitan texts by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Teju Cole and Taiye Selasi that engage with this generation of afropolitans but that already question some of the assumptions of Selasi's essay.
Texts: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Americanah Teju Cole, Every Day is for the Thief Taiye Selasi, Ghana Must Go
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Regular appointments