SOAS Research Online

Abstract

This piece of research aims at analysing newspaper reviews of African literature in four European countries (Great Britain, France, Spain and Italy) in the 1980s. It also aims at demonstrating that the figure of the so-called 'committed' reviewer still exists. The survey is based on a body of approximately 300 reviews taken from 14 newspapers. Some of the papers represent the main national dailies; others may be regarded as representative of different ideological stances. In order to deal with as many aspects as possible of newspaper criticism, the thesis is divided into three parts, in which four different approaches have been adopted: theoretical, statistical, thematic and case-study work. Part One (consisting of Chapters One, Two and Three) provides a theoretical and statistical introduction. Chapter One will tackle the notion of literature as a 'joint social operation'. Moreover, it will try to define a 'review' while illustrating several approaches to the related notion of a review as a text. It will also deal with a current European debate on the nature and state of newspaper reviewing. Chapters Two and Three will consist of a statistical. analyisis aimed at pointing out the main trends in European newspaper reviewing of African literature as well as other aspects such as the frequency of reviewing. Part Two, consisting of Chapters Four, Five and Six, represents a thematic analysis. The Introduction to Part Two will provide a theoretical introduction to the thematic analysis. Chapters Four, Five and Six deal with aspects of reviewing such as the multiplicity of voices (Chapter Four), the aims of reviewing (Chapter Five) and the representation of otherness (Chapter Six). Chapter Six, in particular, will aim at providing the following questions with an answer: 1) Are there any typical ways of representing White South African, Black African or North African literature? 2) Are the ideological stances of a newspaper always manifest in reviewing? Part Three, finally, (consisting of Chapters Seven and Eight) contains the presentation of case-study work. Chapter Seven will analyse the style and technique of some 'regular' contributors. Chapter Eight will deal with those very short reviews that may be often regarded as 'cultural fast-food'.