Representation of albinism and persons with albinism in narratives from East and Southern Africa

Date
2022-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines representations of albinism and characters or subjects with albinism in a selection of literary and cultural texts set in, and from, East and Southern Africa. The analysis brings together contemporary fictional, auto/biographical, and short documentary film representations produced between 2009 and 2020, a period marked by an increased production of texts dealing with albinism in the African context. The study considers how characters or actual people with albinism (PWA) and historical, socio-cultural, and medical perceptions or discourses of albinism are narrated, portrayed, and framed to focus on the manner in which issues of agency emerge in the representations. Given the variety of issues that intersect with albinism in the texts studied, my study is a multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural reading of the representations of albinism and individuals with albinism. My research converses with theories and germane criticism from a scope of disciplines and fields such as disability studies, gender studies, (African) philosophy, narrative theory, and life narrative studies. My research establishes that literary and cultural texts are a site where public and private agency of subjects and characters with albinism is (re)configured and where various perceptions describing albinism and persons with albinism are (de)constructed and (re)conceptualized.
IKISIRI: Utafiti huu unahusu usawili wa wahusika wa ulemavu wa ngozi na uelewa kuhusu ulemavu wa ngozi katika matini teule za kifasihi na kiutamaduni zinazozalishwa na/au kutoka Mashariki na Kusini mwa Afrika. Uchambuzi huu unahusisha kazi za Sanaa za nyakati za sasa na filamu fupi zilizozalishwa kati ya mwaka 2009 na 2020, wakati ambao kulikuwa na ongezeko kubwa la matini zinazohusiana na ulemavu wa ngozi Barani Afrika. Utafiti umezingatia jinsi wahusika au watu halisi wenye ulemavu wa ngozi wanavyochora katika kazi katika fasihi, mitazamo ya kihistoria, kiutamaduni-jamii na kitabibu au vilongo kuhusu ulemevu wa ngozi vinavyosimuliwa, kuwakilishwa na kupewa mwega kuhusiana na jinsi watu wenye ulemavu wa ngozi wanavyopewa nafasi katika uwakilishi. Kutokana na masuala anuai yanayohusishwa na suala la ulemavu wa ngozi katika matini zilizochunguzwa, utafiti huu unaonesha usawili mtambuka kiuga na kiutamaduni wa ulemevu wa ngozi na watu wenye ulemevu huo. Utafiti huu unaongozwa na nadharia na tahakiki kutoka nyuga na mawanda mbalimbali kama vile tafiti kuhusu ulemavu, jinsia, falsafa (ya Kiafrika), nadharia ya usimulizi na tafiti kuhusu simulizi za maisha. Utafiti huu unaweka msingi kwamba matini za kisanaa na za kiutamaduni ni muktadha ambamo wahusika wenye ulemavu wa ngozi wanachorwa na mitazamo mbalimbali kuhusu ulemavu wa ngozi na watu wenye ulemavu huo huibuka, kujijenga na kuundwa upya.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek voorstellings van albinisme en karakters of subjekte met albinisme in ’n verskeidenheid literêre en kulturele tekste wat in, en vanuit, Oos- en Suider-Afrika afspeel. In die ontleding word voorstellings van hedendaagse fiktiewe, outobiografiese en/of biografiese en kort dokumentêre rolprente byeengebring wat tussen 2009 en 2020 vervaardig is, ’n tydperk wat deur ’n verhoogde produksie van tekste oor albinisme in die Afrika-konteks gekenmerk word. Die studie ondersoek hoe karakters of werklike mense met albinisme (PWA) en historiese, sosio-kulturele, en mediese persepsies of diskoerse oor albinisme vertel, uitgebeeld en aangebied word om vas te stel hoe kwessies van agentskap in die voorstellings na vore kom. Gegewe die verskeidenheid kwessies in die studietekste wat by albinisme aansluit, is my studie ’n multidissiplinêre en kruiskulturele lees van die voorstellings van albinisme en individue met albinisme. My navorsing tree in gesprek met teorieë en tersaaklike kritiek uit ’n wye verskeidenheid dissiplines en velde, onder meer gestremdheidstudies, genderstudies, (Afrika-)filosofie, narratiewe teorie, en lewensverhalende studies. My navorsing bevestig dat literêre en kulturele tekste ’n plek is waar openbare en privaatagentskap van subjekte en karakters met albinisme (her)gekonfigureer word en waar verskeie persepsies oor die omskrywing van albinisme, en persone met albinisme, ge(de)konstrueer en (her)gekonseptualiseer word.
Description
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
Keywords
Albinos and albinism -- Africa, Sub-Saharan -- Social conditions, Albinos and albinism in literature, Discrimination against people with disabilities, UCTD
Citation