Of dirt, disinfection and purgation : discursive construction of state violence in selected contemporary Zimbabwean literature
Date
2018
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Tydskrif vir Letterkunde Association
Abstract
This paper examines post-independent Zimbabwean literary narratives which engage with how the ruling ZANU-PF government frames dissenting voices as constituting dirt, filth and undesirability. Making use of Achille Mbembe's postulations on the "vulgarity of power" and Kenneth W. Harrow's readings of the politics of dirt, the central thesis of this paper is that the troping of dirt and state sponsored violence are closely related to the themes of memory and belonging. Literary works by writers such as Chistopher Mlalazi, NoViolet Bulawayo and John Eppel become self-effacing speech acts that are involved in reimagining and revisioning our understanding of power dynamics and how this affects human and social experiences.
Description
CITATION: Ncube, G. 2018. Of dirt, disinfection and purgation : discursive construction of state violence in selected contemporary Zimbabwean literature. Tydskrif vir Letterkunde, 55(1):41-53, doi:10.17159/2309-9070/tvl.v.55i1.1548.
The original publication is available at https://journals.assaf.org.za/index.php/tvl
The original publication is available at https://journals.assaf.org.za/index.php/tvl
Keywords
Zimbabwean literature -- Criticism and interpretation, Zimbabwe -- Politics and government, Zimbabwean national identity, Operation Murambatsvina, Zimbabwe, 2005-, Political violence -- Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe African National Union
Citation
Ncube, G. 2018. Of dirt, disinfection and purgation : discursive construction of state violence in selected contemporary Zimbabwean literature. Tydskrif vir Letterkunde, 55(1):41-53, doi:10.17159/2309-9070/tvl.v.55i1.1548