Narrating Human Rights in Africa

Narrating Human Rights in Africa challenges stereotypes of victimhood and voicelessness by foregrounding the literature itself to show the concepts it offers. It focuses on how narrative creates new categories of thought challenging human rights dogma, while the sum of the literary voices evoked also stands by the values of social justice and protection of human rights.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 206 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Narrating Human Rights in Africa is a groundbreaking work that delves into the complex and multifaceted realm of human rights from the perspective of artists from the African continent. By centering the key theoretical concepts within African perspectives, the book seeks to challenge the prevalent stereotypes of victimhood and voicelessness often associated with the African region. Instead of merely illustrating points that have already been theorized elsewhere, the author prioritizes showcasing the literature itself as a source of insights and ideas. Through the literature, the author explores the complex historical circumstances that have shaped African societies and the responses expressed by African writers.

The book's central focus lies in the transformative power of narrative in challenging human rights dogma. It demonstrates how narrative can create new categories of thought that challenge the established norms and frameworks governing human rights. The author highlights the importance of the literary voices evoked in the book, emphasizing that they uphold the values of social justice and the protection of human rights.

The chapters within the book address a range of critical challenges to the narration of human rights in Africa. These challenges include issues such as human dignity in the face of apartheid, the plight of child soldiers, the impact of humanitarianism's images on contemporary African writers' representational strategies, the challenges of testifying about rape in war, the invisibility of the bodies of torture victims, the centrality of flight in the experiences of refugees and migrants, and the enduring legacy of the heart of darkness motif.

By offering a sustained examination of the narrative treatment of these key human rights concerns as expressed by African writers, Narrating Human Rights in Africa provides valuable insights for scholars and researchers in the fields of African literature, postcolonial studies, African studies, and human rights. The book offers a rich and nuanced understanding of the complex interplay between human rights, literature, and cultural contexts, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the African continent and its struggles for justice and equality.

Weight: 332g
Dimension: 233 x 156 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367650063