What Has Modernity To Do With It?: Camouflaging Race in the “New” South Africa
Abstract
This article explores the place of alternative modernities in the tentatively “new” South Africa. Premised upon Paul Gilroy’s theoretical deconstruction of “race” and “nation” in the “black Atlantic”, the arguments presented will underscore the limitations of Gilroy’s “counterculture” of modernity. Whilst the world is in need of the humanism that Gilroy advocates, “postrace” and “post-nation” states are premature ideals for a newly post- apartheid country like South Africa. Present cultural configurations in this country not only suggest the lingering quandary of racism but they make critical the questioning of Western literary prescription. The rather uncertain conclusions drawn on these issues, point to the continuing universal and local compromising of African perspectives in these so-called modern and postmodern times. Forging alternative modernities is a complex enterprise; yet postponing necessary alternatives to modernity will only serve to detain meaningful socioeconomic change.
Opsomming
Hierdie artikel ondersoek die plek van alternatiewe moderniteite in die tentatief “nuwe” Suid-Afrika. Op grond van Paul Gilroy se teoretiese dekonstruksie van “ras” en “nasie” in die “black Atlantic” sal die argumente wat voorgehou word die beperkings van Gilroy se téénkultuur” van moderniteit uitlig. Waar die wêreld ‘n behoefte het aan die humanisme wat Gilroy voorstaan, is toestande van “post-ras” en “post-nasie” premature ideale vir ‘n pas tot stand gekome postapartheid land soos Suid-Afrika. Huidige kulturele konfigurasies in hierdie land suggereer nie alleen die voortslepende penarie van rassisme nie, maar maak die bevraagtekening van Westerse literêre voorskriftelikheid kritiek. Die bra onseker konklusies waartoe geraak word oor hierdie kwessies wys heen na die voortdurende universele en lokale kompromitering van Afrika perspektiewe in hierdie sogenaamde moderne en postmoderne tye. Om ‘n weg te baan vir alternatiewe moderniteite is ‘n komplekse onderneming, maar om noodsaaklike alternatiewe vir moderniteite uit te stel, sal betekenisvolle sosio-ekonomiese verandering verhinder.
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