The Pull of Postcolonial Nationhood: Gender and Migration in Francophone African Literatures

176 Pages·2010·3.66 MB·English

by  Ayo A. Coly

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postcolonial nationhood

the pull of
postcolonial nationhood
gender and Migration in
Francophone African Literatures

Ayo A. Coly
Lexington Books
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Coly, Ayo A.
The pull of postcolonial nationhood : gender and migration in francophone
African literatures / Ayo A. Coly.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-7391-4511-1 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-7391-4513-5 (elec-
tronic)
1. Bugul, Ken—Criticism and interpretation. 2. Beyala, Calixthe—Criticism
and interpretation. 3. Diome, Fatou, 1968–—Criticism and interpretation.
4. African literature (French)—History and criticism. 5. Sex role in literature.
6. Immigrants in literature. I. Title.
PQ3989.2.B78Z66 2010
843.914—dc22
2010012749

™
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of
American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper
for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.
Printed in the United States of America
In reverence to the memory of my mother, Aissatou A. Coly

table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction: Of Uprooted and Deterritorialized Africans xi
Part I
Ken Bugul: From Self-Imposed
Exile to Constrained Homecoming
1 The (Non-)Place of the Daughter of the Postcolonial
House: Le baobab fou and Cendres et braises 3
2 No Place Like the Non-Place: Striving to Come
Home in Cendres et braises and Riwan ou le
chemin de sable 21
Part II
Calixthe Beyala: The Conflicted
Immigrant Standpoint
3 Aborted Postnationalism?: C’est le soleil
qui m’a brûlée and Tu t’appelleras Tanga 41
4 (Un)Writing France as Home:
The Belleville Novels 67
vii
viii / table of Contents
5 From African Guest to Afro-French Hostess:
Producing an Acceptable Immigrant Geography
of Home in Amours sauvages 83
Part III
Fatou Diome:
The Anti-Immigrant Standpoint
6 Globalization and the Revival of the Anticolonial
and Nationalist Narrative of Home: La préférence
nationale and Le ventre de l’Atlantique 99
7 Bounded Homelessness as a Strategy: La préférence
nationale and Le ventre de l’Atlantique 111
Conclusion: Reinstating the Nation as an Object
of Postcolonially Correct Interest 125
Bibliography 133
Index 143
About the Author 147
Acknowledgments
This book would not have been possible without the whole-
hearted support of many. First and foremost, I thank Professor
Thomas Hale for his guidance and constructive comments. My
thanks also go to my colleagues at Dartmouth College whose
encouragements kept me going: Judith Byfield, Kate Conley,
Susanne Freidberg, Gretchen Gerzina, Mary Jean Green, Irene
Kacandes, Deborah King, John Kopper, Larry Kritzman, Celia
Naylor, Antonio Tillis, Keith Walker, Michelle Warren, and Mar-
garet Williamson.
Special thanks to my friends and colleagues Moussa Sow,
Nathalie Etoké, Marame Guèye, Mootacem Mhiri, Mohamed
Kamara, Barrel Guèye, Moussa Diallo Bocoum, and Anoumou
Amekudji. Our numerous exchanges enriched this book.
My mentors in African studies have generously contributed
to this book and to my professional development: Oyeronke
Oyewumi, whose door metaphor kept my eyes on the prize,
Aliko Songolo, Kandioura Dramé, Eileen Julien, Frieda Ekotto,
Odile Cazenave, and Irele Abiola.
My acknowledgments would be incomplete if I did not
thank Tilo Stolz and Corey Roberts for constantly checking on
the progress of this book and providing all kinds of support, for
which I am forever grateful. Tameka, Mansour, Toutou, Couy-
enga, your love made everything possible.
ix