At Penpoint: African Literatures, Postcolonial Studies, and the Cold War

In At Penpoint, Monica Popescu explores the development of African literature in the second half of the 20th century, examining how the Cold War and decolonization shaped its aesthetic and political debates. She highlights how African writers decolonized artistic canons while superpowers attempted to influence African cultural production.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 04 September 2020
Publisher: Duke University Press

In her captivating book, "At Penpoint: Tracing the Development of African Literature during the Second Half of the Twentieth Century," Monica Popescu delves into the intricate interplay between the Cold War and decolonization, shedding light on the profound impact they had on the evolution of African literature. Through a meticulous exploration of archival materials sourced from the Soviet-sponsored Afro-Asian Writers Association and the CIA-funded Congress for Cultural Freedom, alongside a thoughtful analysis of canonical literary works by renowned African authors such as Ayi Kwei Armah, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, Ousmane Sembène, Pepetela, and Nadine Gordimer, Popescu unveils the complex dynamics that shaped the aesthetic and political debates among African writers and intellectuals.

As the United States and the Soviet Union engaged in a fierce geopolitical rivalry, their interactions reverberated across the African continent. Popescu meticulously outlines how these tensions manifested in the aesthetic and political realms, influencing the creative expressions of African writers and intellectuals. These writers, driven by a desire for decolonization, challenged the established aesthetic canons while simultaneously navigating the superpowers' attempts to shape African cultural production in alignment with their ideological and geopolitical objectives.

By situating African literature at the crossroads of postcolonial theory and studies of the Cold War, Popescu offers a fresh and insightful reassessment of African literature, aesthetics, and knowledge production. Her work provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of the complex interplay between global events and local artistic expressions, highlighting the resilience and creativity of African writers in the face of immense challenges.

Through her meticulous research and compelling storytelling, Popescu invites readers to explore the rich tapestry of African literature, unearthing the profound ways in which it has responded to the forces of history and shaped the intellectual landscape of the continent. "At Penpoint" is a must-read for scholars, students, and anyone with an interest in African literature, culture, and the complexities of the twentieth century.

Weight: 408g
Dimension: 153 x 228 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478009405