One’s Place: Privilege and Responsibility in (Post-)Apartheid White Writing

The era of Western colonialism and slavery has ended, but racism and discrimination still exist and the privileged position that White people still have in Western society makes it difficult for people of colour to trust them, no matter these White people’s often good intentions. Similarly, but also in a more visibly extreme way, the struggle against racism in South Africa did not end with the abolition of Apartheid. Scholars think differently about what the appropriate response would be of White South Africans to their dark history. Should they withdraw in silence and humility? Alternatively, should they play an active role in the future of the country? And how? From her position as a White Dutch woman, Zijlstra has explored the issues of race, identity and progressive change in South African literature. For White South African authors, silence was never an option, but they were nonetheless aware of their ambiguous position. With the analysis of three novels from such authors ...Show moreThe era of Western colonialism and slavery has ended, but racism and discrimination still exist and the privileged position that White people still have in Western society makes it difficult for people of colour to trust them, no matter these White people’s often good intentions. Similarly, but also in a more visibly extreme way, the struggle against racism in South Africa did not end with the abolition of Apartheid. Scholars think differently about what the appropriate response would be of White South Africans to their dark history. Should they withdraw in silence and humility? Alternatively, should they play an active role in the future of the country? And how? From her position as a White Dutch woman, Zijlstra has explored the issues of race, identity and progressive change in South African literature. For White South African authors, silence was never an option, but they were nonetheless aware of their ambiguous position. With the analysis of three novels from such authors (Burger’s Daughter (1979) by Nadine Gordimer, The Rights of Desire (2000) by André Brink, and The Promise (2021) by Damon Galgut), this thesis aims to contribute to a nuanced view on both the controversy around the position of well-intentioned White people in a position of privilege, and their possibilities to take responsibility. The theorists who inform the analysis are Michael Rothberg (2019) with his concept of the implicated subject, Melissa Steyn (2001) with her research on the fragmentation of White identity in South Africa after Apartheid, Shannon Sullivan (2006) with her theory on unconscious racial habits, and Zoë Wicomb (2018) with her critical eye on myths of traditional culture and identity, as well as on the responsibility of literary authors.Show less

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One’s Place: Privilege and Responsibility in (Post-)Apartheid White Writing