What do you think?
Rate this book
Out in Africa: Same-Sex Desire in Sub-Saharan Literatures and Cultures
Homophobia is still rife and it remains dangerous and even life-threatening to be out in Africa, but Chantal Zabus here traces the range of representations of same-sex desire in Africa through historic and contemporary sources.
Homosexuality was and still is thought to be quintessentially 'un-African'. Yet in this book Chantal Zabus examines the anthropological, cultural and literary representations of male and female same-sex desire in a pan-African context from the nineteenth century to the present. Reaching back to early colonial contacts between Europe and Africa, and covering a broad geographical spectrum, along a north-south axis from Mali to South Africa and an east-west axis from Senegal to Kenya, here is a comparative approach encompassing two colonial languages (English and French) and some African languages.
Out in Africa charts developments in Sub-Saharan African texts and contextsthrough the work of 7 colonial writers and some 25 postcolonial writers. These texts grow in complexity from roughly the 1860s, through the 1990s with the advent of queer theory, up to 2010. The author identifies those texts thatpresent, in a subterraneous way at first and then with increased confidence, homosexuality-as-an-identity rather than an occasional or ritualized practice, as was the case in the early ethnographic imagination. The work sketchesout an evolutionary pattern in representing male and female same-sex desire in the novel and other texts, as well as in the cultural and political contexts that oppose such desires.
Homosexuality was and still is thought to be quintessentially 'un-African'. Yet in this book Chantal Zabus examines the anthropological, cultural and literary representations of male and female same-sex desire in a pan-African context from the nineteenth century to the present. Reaching back to early colonial contacts between Europe and Africa, and covering a broad geographical spectrum, along a north-south axis from Mali to South Africa and an east-west axis from Senegal to Kenya, here is a comparative approach encompassing two colonial languages (English and French) and some African languages.
Out in Africa charts developments in Sub-Saharan African texts and contextsthrough the work of 7 colonial writers and some 25 postcolonial writers. These texts grow in complexity from roughly the 1860s, through the 1990s with the advent of queer theory, up to 2010. The author identifies those texts thatpresent, in a subterraneous way at first and then with increased confidence, homosexuality-as-an-identity rather than an occasional or ritualized practice, as was the case in the early ethnographic imagination. The work sketchesout an evolutionary pattern in representing male and female same-sex desire in the novel and other texts, as well as in the cultural and political contexts that oppose such desires.
- GenresNonfictionQueer
308 pages, Hardcover
First published November 21, 2013
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 7, 2016
"Out in Africa: Same-Sex Desire in Sub-Saharan Literatures & Cultures" by Chantal Zabus is a well researched and very academic work abotu representation of Homosexuality in language, culture, literature and even film.
With great insight, deep understanding and concise differentiation the book teaches a lot about the basics, i.e. the semantic, historical and culturally contextual understandings and meanings of homosexuality. That aspect of the book was a huge eye opener to me and a intellectually very satisfying segment of the book.
We cover a lot of ground, geographically, chronologically and in terms of all that same-sex-sex or same-sex desire can be to different people.
At times I personally felt challenged by the amount of information and references and felt the points had been made already but the book is informative, fascinating and taught me a lot.
I reviewed the book for netgalley.com
With great insight, deep understanding and concise differentiation the book teaches a lot about the basics, i.e. the semantic, historical and culturally contextual understandings and meanings of homosexuality. That aspect of the book was a huge eye opener to me and a intellectually very satisfying segment of the book.
We cover a lot of ground, geographically, chronologically and in terms of all that same-sex-sex or same-sex desire can be to different people.
At times I personally felt challenged by the amount of information and references and felt the points had been made already but the book is informative, fascinating and taught me a lot.
I reviewed the book for netgalley.com
September 29, 2014
(I received a copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
This book touches on and deals with homosexuality and same-sex love in Africa and sub-Saharan literature and culture. From Boywives of African miners, to rape and the military it even quotes The Smell of Apples by Mark Behr and how that deals with repressed sexuality and rape of a minor and Apartheid. I will definitely be referencing this book the next time i am writing an essay about apartheid and how it deals with the LGBT community as Apartheid is a common topic in South African schools today.
While this book is interesting and fascinating to read especially since it deals with my own home country, i soon got a bit bored and forced myself to finish reading it,otherwise it is a great book.
I recommend this to history buffs or anyone who is interested in expanding their knowledge of the LGBT communities in Africa.
3.5 Stars
This book touches on and deals with homosexuality and same-sex love in Africa and sub-Saharan literature and culture. From Boywives of African miners, to rape and the military it even quotes The Smell of Apples by Mark Behr and how that deals with repressed sexuality and rape of a minor and Apartheid. I will definitely be referencing this book the next time i am writing an essay about apartheid and how it deals with the LGBT community as Apartheid is a common topic in South African schools today.
While this book is interesting and fascinating to read especially since it deals with my own home country, i soon got a bit bored and forced myself to finish reading it,otherwise it is a great book.
I recommend this to history buffs or anyone who is interested in expanding their knowledge of the LGBT communities in Africa.
3.5 Stars
February 5, 2016
Although well researched, the work seemed to be disorganized. This is not about gay in Africa as much as looking at the literature mostly novels out of africa for sexual diversity and variations of desire. Interesting, the literature looked at begins before and during colonial times through the present
November 21, 2023
this book covers some cool stuff, but it feels like it's just scratching the surface. The author's got some interesting sources and case studies, but it reads a bit scattered and incomplete. It's alright for dipping your toes into the topic, but I wish it dove deeper and had a more organized structure for a better read
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews