My narrative falters, as it must : rethinking memory in recent Northern Irish fiction

Magennis, C 2016, 'My narrative falters, as it must : rethinking memory in recent Northern Irish fiction' , in: Post-Conflict Literature: Human Rights, Peace, Justice , Routledge.

Preview	PDF - Accepted Version Download (391kB) | Preview
	Microsoft Word - Accepted Version Restricted to Repository staff only Download (90kB) | Request a copy

Abstract

This chapter explores Nadine Gordimer's profound commitment to change and transformation in South Africa. Aware of the profound impact of colonialism and racism on all South Africans, she used her position as a white South African writer, to bear witness to the impact of the colonial past, to rail against the racist present and to imagine a society free of fratricidal conflict. In so doing it examines Gordimer's prescient treatment of the place white people would occupy in a post-apartheid South Africa where race remains pivotal. Liberals are people who make promises they have no power to keep". Christopher Warnes suggests that Gordimer was responding to the radical politics of Black Consciousness and specifically to Steve Biko's assertion that in a post-apartheid South Africa, called liberal white South Africans would not determine the terms of political engagement. Indeed, it is impossible to read Nadine Gordimer's work without being aware of the relationship between literary texts and discourses of transitional justice.

Item Type:	Book Section
Editors:	Andrews, C and McGuire, M
Themes:	Memory, Text and Place
Schools:	Schools > School of Arts & Media
Publisher:	Routledge
Refereed:	Yes
ISBN:	9781138916302; 9781315689746
Funders:	Non funded research
Depositing User:	Dr Caroline Magennis
Date Deposited:	02 Jun 2015 17:24
Last Modified:	09 Oct 2019 15:00
URI:	http://usir.salford.ac.uk/id/eprint/34641

Actions (login required)

Edit record (repository staff only)