Thuma mina : debates about South African literature in English and implications for high school curricula

Abstract

The beginning of the demise of apartheid in 1990 with the release of Nelson Mandela and the formal end of apartheid with the first democratic elections in 1994 were conceived by some to spell the death of South African literature in English, because, for many, opposition to apartheid determined and defined South African literature in English. This study offers a new way of investigating the problem of defining and conceptualising South African literature in English in the post-apartheid era by fusing theoretical debates by scholars and academics on the topic with the practice and experience of teaching and learning this literature at the Further Education and Training (FET) Grades 10 to12 level by subject advisors, educators and learners. A special emphasis was the prescribed literature for Grades 10 to 12. Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements and other policy documents were analysed to see whether there are discrepancies between policy and what educational practitioners do in practice. Using a descriptive qualitative research methodology, English subject advisors (facilitators) and educators were interviewed, and learners responded to a survey questionnaire. The study confirms that South African literature in English is difficult to conceptualise, as its definition is determined by social cultural processes that are always in flux. South African writing in English cannot be categorised or explained in essentialist terms such as the origin, race or gender of the author, or even the subject matter and style. Even some of the educators who were interviewed could not define it, and preferred to describe it by mentioning some of its characteristics. There is a disjuncture between how academics, policy-makers and critics conceptualise literature on the one hand, and how practitioners implement it on the other. The academic literature taught in educational institutions lags behind the street or social literature (literature read or performed outside of the educational institution). It is recommended that any attempt to conceptualise South African literature in English take into consideration the subjectivities of individuals’ different social practices and not necessarily be based on elitist hegemonic discourses.