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Racism in Novels: A Comparative Study of Brazilian and South African Cultural History
Author: Elaine Pereira Rocha
Date Of Publication: Jun 2010
Isbn13: 978-1-4438-2137-7
Isbn: 1-4438-2137-3
During the first half of the twentieth century, both countries witnessed the advance of capitalism, translated into an aggressive police of development, with the exploitation of minerals, construction of railways and roads, urbanization and industrialization. Along with the economic development, Brazilian and South African society tried to take control of their society, meaning to control the population in order to maintain the status quo. For that end, racial definitions, classifications, theories and policies were fundamental. As the features of South African politics and policies of racial segregation emerged with new colors for the world after the end of the Apartheid regime, given the testimonies, the released documents and the new analysis, Brazilians have been pushed to face the problem of racial exclusion, unmasking its image as a “racial paradise” under the lights of new studies as well. Elaine Rocha uses novels published in both countries between 1912 and 1953 as a window from were one could see how cultural perceptions, policies and of racial differentiation were reflected in the everyday life. The analysis of the literary content, plus the authors’ biographies, political ideologies and the problems they were facing and interacting, together with their intentions of affecting the lives of the readers with the tragedy they illustrated in their novels claiming for a change in the real world.
Elaine Pereira Rocha is Lecturer in Latin American History, at The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus. She holds a PhD from the Universidade de Sao Paulo; an MA in Cultural History from the University of Pretoria, and an MA in History from the Pontifica Universidade Catolica de Sao Paulo. She is author of Saci-Perere: o vento da liberdade (OR 2000) and Entre a Pena e a Espada: a trajetoria de Leolinda Daltro (UNEB, 2005).
“This work is an important and highly innovative contribution to the comparative history of racism in South Africa and Brazil. Using key works of literature to explore attitudes to race in both countries during the first half of the twentieth century, Rocha offers some acute observations about such attitudes, and reveals some telling points of comparison and contrast. Her discussion on attitudes to miscegenation in South Africa and Brazil, for example, illustrates a common preoccupation with sexuality and race in both societies, but profoundly differing views on its social, cultural and political implications in each case. This work is highly recommended for students and scholars with an interest in the cultural history of South Africa or Brazil, as well as all those with an interest in the comparative history of racism.”
—Alan Cobley, Professor of History, University of The West Indies
Price Uk Gbp: 34.99
Price Us Usd: 52.99
Sample pdf (including Table of Contents)
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