Entre la rue et le musée : le problème du « moment présent » en Afrique du Sud

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Abstract:

This essay assesses recent scholarship and the general intellectual climate found in South Africa today. Such assessment is performed in two ways. First, trends found within South Africa are measured against the backdrop of earlier postcolonial schools in Africa, particularly those in Nigeria and Tanzania. The opportunities and challenges of the nation-state framework are revealed through such comparison. Second, the unique features of intellectual life in post-apartheid South Africa are also considered. It is argued that multiple sites for the production of knowledge can be located, with scholars needing to navigate the intellectual terrain between « the street » and « the museum ».