The Literature Police : Apartheid Censorship and Its Cultural Consequences

'Censorship may have to do with literature', Nadine Gordimer once said, 'but literature has nothing whatever to do with censorship.' As the history of many repressive regimes shows, this vital borderline has seldom been so clearly demarcated. Just how murky it can sometimes be is compellingly exemplified in the case of apartheid South Africa. For reasons that were neither obvious nor historically inevitable, the apartheid censors were not only the agents of the white minority government's repressive anxieties about the medium of print. They were also officially-certified guardians of the literary. This book is centrally about the often unpredictable cultural consequences of this paradoxical situation. Peter D. McDonald brings to light a wealth of new evidence - from the once secret archives of the censorship bureaucracy, from the records of resistance publishers and writers' groups both in the country and abroad - and uses extensive oral testimony. He tells the strangely tangled stories of censorship and literature in apartheid South Africa and, in the process, uncovers an extraordinarily complex web of cultural connections linking Europe and Africa, East and West. The Literature Police affords a unique perspective on one of the most anachronistic, exploitative, and racist modern states of the post-war era, and on some of the many forms of cultural resistance it inspired. It also raises urgent questions about how we understand the category of the literary in today's globalized, intercultural world. As The History Of Many Repressive Regimes Shows, This Vital Borderline Has Seldom Been So Clearly Demarcated. Just How Murky It Can Sometimes Be Is Compellingly Exemplified In The Case Of Apartheid South Africa. For Reasons That Were Neither Obvious Nor Historically Inevitable, The Apartheid Censors Were Not Only The Agents Of The White Minority Government's Repressive Anxieties About The Medium Of Print. They Were Also Officially-certified Guardians Of The Literary. This Book Is Centrally About The Often Unpredictable Cultural Consequences Of This Paradoxical Situation. Peter D. Mcdonald Brings To Light A Wealth Of New Evidence - From The Once Secret Archives Of The Censorship Bureaucracy, From The Records Of Resistance Publishers And Writers' Groups Both In The Country And Abroad - And Uses Extensive Oral Testimony. He Tells The Strangely Tangled Stories Of Censorship And Literature In Apartheid South Africa And, In The Process, Uncovers An Extraordinarily Complex Web Of Cultural Connections Linking Europe And Africa, East And West. The Literature Police Affords A Unique Perspective On One Of The Most Anachronistic, Exploitative, And Racist Modern States Of The Post-war Era, And On Some Of The Many Forms Of Cultural Resistance It Inspired. It Also Raises Urgent Questions About How We Understand The Category Of The Literary In Today's Globalized, Intercultural World--jacket. Censors -- Publishers -- Writers -- Nadine Gordimer And The Strength Of The African Novel -- Afrikan Versus Volks Humanism : Es'kia Mphahlele's Worldly Music And The Transcendent Space Of Culture -- Connected Versus Internal Critics : Breytenbach, Leroux, And The Volk Avant-garde -- Blac Books, Black (anti- )poetics -- J.m. Coetzee : The Provincial Storyteller -- Protest And Beyond : Third World People's Stories In The Staffrider Series. Peter D. Mcdonald. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 391-399) And Index. Contents......Page 8 List of Illustrations......Page 10 List of Abbreviations......Page 13 Note to the Reader......Page 16 Introduction......Page 18 Part I: Creating Spaces/Guarding Borders......Page 36 1. Censors......Page 38 2. Publishers......Page 100 3. Writers......Page 175 Part II: Singular Situations/Disruptive Moments......Page 234 4. Nadine Gordimer and the Strength of the African Novel......Page 236 5. Afrikan versus Volks Humanism: Es’kia Mphahlele’s Worldly Music and the Transcendent Space of Culture......Page 258 6. Connected versus Internal Critics: Breytenbach, Leroux, and the Volk Avant-Garde......Page 275 7. BLAC Books, Black (Anti-)Poetics......Page 296 8. J. M. Coetzee: The Provincial Storyteller......Page 320 9. Protest and Beyond: Third World People’s Stories in the Staffrider Series......Page 338 Postscript......Page 360 Chronology......Page 372 Notes......Page 382 Bibliography......Page 408 Acknowledgements......Page 418 B......Page 420 C......Page 421 D......Page 423 G......Page 424 L......Page 425 M......Page 426 N......Page 427 P......Page 428 R......Page 430 S......Page 431 W......Page 432 Z......Page 433 Uncovers the tangled stories of censorship and literature in apartheid South Africa, drawing on a wealth of new evidence from censorship archives, archives of resistance publishers and writers' groups, and oral testimony. A unique perspective on one of the most repressive, anachronistic, and racist states in the post-war era. - ;'Censorship may have to do with literature', Nadine Gordimer once said, 'but literature has nothing whatever to do with censorship.' As the history of many repressive regimes shows, this vital borderline has seldom been so clearly demarcated. Just how murky it can some