Frottage: Frictions of Intimacy across the Black Diaspora

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Of dirt, disinfection and purgation: Discursive construction of state violence in selected contemporary Zimbabwean literature

This paper examines post-independent Zimbabwean literary narratives which engage with how the ruling ZANU-PF government frames dissenting voices as constituting dirt, filth and undesirability. Making use of Achille Mbembe's postulations on the "vulgarity of power" and Kenneth W. Harrow's readings of the politics of dirt, the central thesis of this paper is that the troping of dirt and state sponsored violence are closely related to the themes of memory and belonging. Literary works by writers such as Chistopher Mlalazi, NoViolet Bulawayo and John Eppel become self-effacing speech acts that are involved in reimagining and revisioning our understanding of power dynamics and how this affects human and social experiences

Queer, Christian and Afrikaans: The libidinal, sexuality and religion in Kanarie and Skeef

Religion is often viewed as incompatible with queer sexualities and genders. In the Afrikaans-speaking communities of South Africa, Calvinist doctrine and dogma have been used to marginalise and ostracise those sexual and gender identities that stray from the heteronormative scripts sanctioned by cultural and religious practices. In this article, I examine how the libidinal is central to the way in which queer and faith communities interact in Afrikaans-speaking communities in two films: Kanarie and Skeef. The two films represent different filmic genres with Kanarie a fictional feature film and Skeef being a documentary. The two films, despite their different genres, broach the difficulty of being queer and religious. At the same time, the films show that it is possible to rethink religions/faith communities. Such rethinking creates accommodative spaces within faith communities in a way in which queerness is not viewed as a deviance or an abomination. I read these Afrikaans-language films against the conceptualisation of the libidinal offered by Keguro Macharia together with the ideas of queer agency proposed by Adriaan van Klinken. This queer agency marks not just a transgression of heteronormative Christian norms but also engenders expansive ways of understanding human sexuality and gender identities

Understanding resilience capitals, agency and habitus in household experiences of water scarcity, floods and fire in marginalized settlements in the Cape Flats, South Africa

A significant percentage of the urban population in most low- and middle-income countries live in informal settlements. Due to poor quality housing, dense settlement patterns and lack of risk reducing infrastructure, informal settlements are least prepared and at higher risk for climate change issues. Marginalized communities in settlements in the Cape Flats region of South Africa face a range of environmental hazards and risks including recurrent large-scale fires, localised flooding and inconsistent access to water. This paper presents findings from a household survey with 600 participants from three economically marginalised settlements in this region. The paper explores how different forms of capital come into play in the shaping of these experiences and responses and uses these to consider power structures and the creation of particular types of habitus amongst settlement residents. Results show that cultural (knowledge) capital is one of the most important capitals enabling resilience and adaptive capacities across all three sites. Findings show the complex interplay of forms of capital and the importance of recognizing ownership, control and power structures. Our findings also illustrate how repeated exposure to risk can shape a habitus of risk acceptance and a focus on coping rather than change. Insights from this study further enhance knowledge of community resilience that could potentially inform policy development and institutional disaster risk reduction strategies for climate change resilience of cities in low- and middle-income countries

‘It Means We are Not Safe’: Understanding and Learning from Household Experiences of Water Scarcity, Flood and Fire in Marginalized Settlements in the Cape Flats, South Africa

As climate change-related extreme weather events such as flooding and droughts increase in frequency and severity in most cities worldwide, there is a need to deepen understanding of disaster risks and adaptive capacities. A significant percentage of the urban population in most low- and middle-income countries live in informal settlements. Due to poor quality housing, dense settlement patterns and lack of risk reducing infrastructure e.g., drainage systems, informal settlements have been identified as being least prepared and at higher risk for climate change issues and therefore serve as important sites for understanding these risks and capacities. Marginalized communities in settlements in the Cape Flats region of South Africa face a range of environmental hazards including recurrent large-scale fires, localised flooding and water supply shortages. This paper presents findings from a household survey with 600 participants from three economically marginalised township settlements in this region. The aim of the survey was to understand the lived experiences, coping mechanisms and resilience attributes of the residents faced with localised flooding, fires and water shortages – locally salient environmental risks and hazards. The paper explores how different forms of capital come into play in the shaping of these experiences and responses and uses these to consider power structures and the creation of particular types of habitus amongst settlement residents. Insights from this study further enhance knowledge of community resilience that could potentially inform policy development and institutional disaster risk reduction strategies for climate change resilience of cities in low- and middle-income countries

Distribution of schistosomiasis and soil transmitted Helminthiasis in Zimbabwe:Towards a national plan of action for control and elimination

Schistosomiasis and STH are among the list of neglected tropical diseases considered for control by the WHO. Although both diseases are endemic in Zimbabwe, no nationwide control interventions have been implemented. For this reason in 2009 the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care included the two diseases in the 2009-2013 National Health Strategy highlighting the importance of understanding the distribution and burden of the diseases as a prerequisite for elimination interventions. It is against this background that a national survey was conducted.A countrywide cross-sectional survey was carried out in 280 primary schools in 68 districts between September 2010 and August 2011. Schistosoma haematobium was diagnosed using the urine filtration technique. Schistosoma mansoni and STH (hookworms, Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides) were diagnosed using both the Kato Katz and formol ether concentration techniques.Schistosomiasis was more prevalent country-wide (22.7%) than STH (5.5%). The prevalence of S. haematobium was 18.0% while that of S. mansoni was 7.2%. Hookworms were the most common STH with a prevalence of 3.2% followed by A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura with prevalence of 2.5% and 0.1%, respectively. The prevalence of heavy infection intensity as defined by WHO for any schistosome species was 5.8% (range 0%-18.3% in districts). Only light to moderate infection intensities were observed for STH species. The distribution of schistosomiasis and STH varied significantly between provinces, districts and schools (p<0.001). Overall, the prevalence of co-infection with schistosomiasis and STH was 1.5%. The actual co-endemicity of schistosomiasis and STH was observed in 43 (63.2%) of the 68 districts screened.This study provided comprehensive baseline data on the distribution of schistosomiasis and STH that formed the basis for initiating a national control and elimination programme for these two neglected tropical diseases in Zimbabwe

Constructions et representations litteraires de la sexualite « marginale » sur les deux rives de la Mediterranee : Rachid O., Eyet-Chekib Djaziri, Abdellah Taia et Ilmann Bel

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: “Marginal” sexualities continue to be veiled by a cloud of silence and taboo in the Arab-Muslim societies. This study puts into conversation literary narratives by four writers of Maghrebian descent who have dared to break the intolerably irksome silence surrounding homosexuality. The novels of Rachid O., Abdellah Taïa, Eyet-Chékib Djaziri and Ilmann Bel are synchronous with the growing interest in the potential common points between literary production and queer sexualities in the Maghreb (and indeed other Arab/Muslim regions). Drawing on hermeneutic perspectives as well as diverse readings in gender and queer studies, this literary analysis deconstructs the problematic figure of the homosexual which is at once contentious as well as the locus of manifold discourses that are concerned with questioning the status quo whilst unveiling the unutterable. The literary construction and representation of “marginal” sexuality certainly plays a pivotal role in destabilising and challenging the simplistic conceptions of identity and value systems that underlie the designations of “correct and incorrect” sexual orientations and identities. Elaborating a comprehensive interpretative paradigm, this study attempts to fill the yawning gap in scholarship on the relationship between francophone literary production from the Maghreb and homosexuality. Adopting a tri-sequential approach, the study begins with an explanatory phase which contextualises queer sexuality as well as queer literary studies in the Maghreb and in France. An encounter phase follows offering a hermeneutic reading of the selected novels of the four writers, concentrating particularly on the definition, characterisation and general tonality of the literary works. The ultimate stage, the interpretive/theorisation phase, encompasses a re-reading of primary and secondary texts alongside each other so as to construct an original appraisal of the novels as well as develop a theoretically sound consideration of the construction of “marginal” sexualities in the selected novels. In addition to the above-enumerated tri-sequential approach, the argumentative flow of the study equally follows a three-pronged progression: production-text-reception. The first phase scrutinises the sociocultural, political and historical context in which the literary texts under consideration are created. The “text” phase analyses the novels in question in order to elaborate a theorisation of the construction and representation of “marginal” sexuality in the autofictional works of the aforementioned writers. The “reception” phase goes beyond the purely textual and delves into the possible impact of these literary texts on the everyday world of Arab-Muslim societies, in France as in the Maghreb.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: “Marginale” seksualiteite word steeds gehul in ʼn wolk van stilte en taboe in die Arabiese Moslemgemeenskappe. Hierdie studie ondersoek literêre narratiewe van vier skrywers van hierde streek wat dit gewaag het om die swaar en onuitstaanbaar hinderlike stilte rondom homoseksualiteit te verbreek. Die romans van Rachid O., Abdellah Taïa, Eyet-Chékib Djaziri en Ilmann Bel verskyn wanneer daar toenemende belangstelling ontstaan in uiteenlopende aspekte van en potensieel gemeenskaplike eienskappe tussen literêre produksie en sogenaamde “queer” seksualiteite in die Magreb (en ook ander Arabiese/Moslemstreke). Hierdie literêre analise, wat gebruik maak van hermeneutiese perspektiewe asook diverse gender- en queerstudies, dekonstrueer die problematiese figuur van die homoseksueel wat terselfdertyd omstrede én die lokus is van menigvuldige diskoerse wat gaan oor die bevraagtekening van die status quo terwyl die onuitspreeklike openbaar gemaak word. Die literêre konstruksie en uitbeelding van “marginale” seksualiteit speel beslis ʼn belangrike rol in die destabilisering en uitdaging van die simplistiese voorstellings van identiteit en waardesisteme wat onder die benaming van regte en verkeerde seksuele oriëntasies en identiteite lê. Deur ʼn omvattende interpretatiewe paradigma te ontwikkel, probeer hierdie studie om die gaping te vul wat in die wetenskap bestaan ten opsigte van die verhouding tussen Frankofoon literêre produksie uit die Magreb en homoseksualiteit. Die benadering bestaan uit drie opeenvolgende dele. Die studie begin met ʼn verklarende fase wat queer seksualiteit, asook queer literêre studies in die Magreb en Frankryk kontekstualiseer. ʼn Ontmoetingsfase volg waarin ʼn hermeneutiese lees van die gekose romans van die vier skrywers aangebied word, wat spesifiek op die definisie, karakterisering en algemene tonaliteit van die literêre werke fokus. Die finale fase, die interpretatiewe/teoretiseringsfase, sluit ʼn parallelle herlees van primêre en sekondêre tekste in om sodoende ʼn oorspronklike waardering van die romans te konstrueer en om ook ʼn teoreties onaanvegbare oorweging van die konstruksie van “marginale” seksualiteite in die gekose romans te ontwikkel. Verder volg die argument van die studie ook ʼn drieledige progressie: produksie-teks-ontvangs. Die eerste fase ondersoek die sosiokulturele, politiese en historiese konteks waarbinne die gekose tekste geskep is. Die “teksfase” analiseer die gekose romans om ʼn teoretisering van die konstruksie en representasie van “marginale” seksualiteit in die outofiksionele werke van die vier skrywers te ontwikkel. Die laaste fase gaan verder as die teks self en ondersoek die moontlike impak van hierdie literêre werke op die alledaagse wêreld van Arabiese Moslemgemeenskappe, in Frankryk sowel as die Magreb.SOMMAIRE: La sexualité « marginale » demeure un sujet indicible et tabou dans les sociétés arabo-musulmanes, au Maghreb comme en France. La présente thèse essaie de mettre en conversation les récits de quatre romanciers d’origine maghrébine qui ont osé rompre l’intolérable silence { propos de l’homosexualité. Les romans de Rachid O., d’Abdellah Taïa, d’Eyet-Chékib Djaziri et d’Ilmann Bel sont synchrones avec l’intérêt croissant pour de divers aspects des sexualités « marginales » au Maghreb (et certes dans d’autres régions arabo-musulmanes). Nous servant des perspectives herméneutiques ainsi que de diverses théories des études de genre et des études queer, nous proposons dans cette étude une déconstruction du personnage de l’homosexuel qui est { la fois contentieux et également le locus de nombreux discours concernant la remise en cause du statu quo et le dévoilement de l’indicible. La construction et la représentation littéraire de la sexualité « marginale » joue certes un rôle central dans la déstabilisation des conceptions simplistes de la politique identitaire tout en mettant en cause les systèmes de valeurs qui sont à la base des désignations des identités et des orientations sexuelles. Élaborant un paradigme interprétatif compréhensif, cette étude s’efforcera de combler la lacune qui existe par rapport { l’analyse de l’intersection entre la production littéraire au Maghreb francophone et la sexualité « marginale ». Nous adoptons dans cette étude une approche tri-séquentielle et l’étape initiale, nommée la phase explicative, met en contexte la sexualité queer ainsi que les études littéraires traitant de ce sujet sur les deux rives de la Méditerranée. Cette phase préliminaire est suivie d’une phase de rencontre qui proposera une lecture herméneutique des romans, portant sur la définition, la caractérisation et la tonalité de ces oeuvres littéraires. Il s’agit dans l’étape ultime, la phase interprétative/de théorisation, d’une lecture parallèle des oeuvres primaires et secondaires afin d’établir une appréciation des romans de nos auteurs ainsi que de développer une considération valable sur le plan de la théorie de la construction et représentation de la sexualité « marginale » dans les romans choisis. En plus de l’approche ci-dessus expliquée, l’écoulement argumentatif de cette étude suit également une triple séquence : production-texte-réception. La phase de « production » examine le contexte socioculturel, politique et historique où se créent les textes littéraires sous considération. La phase de « texte » concentre sur l’analyse des oeuvres romanesques afin d’élaborer une problématisation de la sexualité « marginale ». La phase de « réception » dépasse les textes et analyse l’effet de ces textes sur le monde du quotidien des milieux arabo-musulmans, en France comme au Maghreb

Film as /and Popular Social Text: The Reception of John Trengove’s Inxeba/The Wound and Wanuri Kahui’s Rafiki

This article is interested in popular and institutional or state responses to the representations of queerness offered in the films Inxeba/The Wound (South Africa, 2017) and Rafiki (Kenya, 2018). Aside from portraying the marked homophobia that continues to circulate on the African continent, the institutional and state responses to the films have overshadowed the positive popular reception which has&nbsp; characterised conversations around the films on social media and public spaces. This article shows how social media functions as animportant space of contestation for diverse issues relating to non-normative gender and sexual identities. As these films circulate in different spaces and are viewed by diverse audiences, they elicit equally diverse reactions and responses. The article examines how viewers, in Africa and beyond, receive and engage with the queerness represented in the two films. It argues that the multifaceted reactions to Inxeba/The Wound and Rafiki are central to articulating important questions about what it means to be queer in Africa,and particularly what it implies for black queers to inhabit heteronormative and patriarchal spaces on the continent. Through an analysis of the reactions and receptions of the two films in Africa and the global North, it is argued that it is possible to trace important inter-regional, intra-continental and intercontinental dialogues and conversations regarding the representation of queer African subjectivities. The intra-continental and inter-continental dialogues bring to light questions of gaze and viewing that are inherent in the circulation of queer-themed films. Kewords: Inxeba/The Wound, Rafiki, reception, popular culture, queernes