Imagined States: Law and Literature in Nigeria 1900-1966

Imagined States explores how the law is portrayed in British and Nigerian fiction and journalism, focusing on the state of exception and its impact on colonialism and postcolonial legal systems.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 216 pages
\n Publication date: 31 August 2021
\n Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
\n

Imagined States delves into the portrayal of law in British and Nigerian high-brow, middle-brow, and popular fiction and journalism. By utilizing a diverse array of examples, the book specifically emphasizes the imaginative significance of the state of exception in the implementation of indirect rule during British colonialism and the legal complexities of the postcolonial state. The discussion encompasses a wide range of works, including notable contributions from Chinua Achebe, Joyce Cary, Cyprian Ekwensi, and Edgar Wallace. Additionally, it explores a selection of Nigerian market literature and journalism from the period spanning 1900 to 1966.

The study explores the ways in which law is represented and interpreted in a variety of literary and journalistic works from both Britain and Nigeria. It examines the role of the state of exception in the application of indirect rule during British colonialism and its continued influence in the legal systems of postcolonial states. The book draws on a wide range of examples, including works by Chinua Achebe, Joyce Cary, Cyprian Ekwensi, and Edgar Wallace, as well as a selection of Nigerian market literature and journalism from between 1900 and 1966.

Through its analysis, Imagined States sheds light on the complex interplay between law, power, and imagination in the colonial and postcolonial contexts. It demonstrates how fiction and journalism can be used as powerful tools for critiquing and challenging legal systems and ideologies, and for exploring the ethical and political dimensions of law and governance. The book also offers valuable insights into the cultural and social contexts in which these works were produced and consumed, and into the ways in which they reflect and shape the broader historical and social landscape.

In conclusion, Imagined States is a groundbreaking work that contributes significantly to our understanding of law, power, and imagination in the colonial and postcolonial contexts. It is a must-read for scholars and students of law, history, literature, and cultural studies, as well as anyone interested in exploring the complex and multifaceted relationships between these three domains.

\n Weight: 334g\n
Dimension: 153 x 234 x 17 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781474487566\n \n