van Klinken, A orcid.org/0000-0003-2011-5537 (2020) Religion in African literature: Representation, critique and imagination. Religion Compass, 14 (12). pp. 1-12. ISSN 1749-8171
Abstract
The study of religion and literature has emerged as a field of considerable academic interest. Although some work has been done on religion and African literature, research in this area tends to be fragmented and dispersed over various fields and disciplines. Reviewing available scholarship in this area, this article explores what engaging with African literary writing brings to the table of the study of religion in Africa. Focussing on postcolonial and contemporary African literature, it identifies a three‐fold contribution: first, the creative representation of religious traditions and dynamics; second, the critique of religious beliefs and institutions, and third, the imagination of alternative religious possibilities. It illustrates these contributions by specifically focussing on issues of (neo)colonialism, gender and sexuality. Hence the article foregrounds the importance of engaging with religion for interpreting African literary texts, and the significance of literary writing for understanding religion as part of African social and cultural life.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: van Klinken, A (2020) Religion in African literature: Representation, critique and imagination. Religion Compass, 14 (12). pp. 1-12. ISSN 1749-8171, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/rec3.12381. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. |
Keywords: | African literature; African religions; religion and literature |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures (Leeds) > School of Philosophy, Religion and History of Science (Leeds) > Theology and Religious Studies (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 14 Oct 2020 10:25 |
Last Modified: | 25 Oct 2022 00:13 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Wiley |
Identification Number: | 10.1111/rec3.12381 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:166624 |