CLAIMING THE CITY IN SOUTH AFRICAN LITERATURE

116pp., hardback, London, 2021

Introduction to literature of the South African city.

"Claiming the City is impeccably researched, draws on sophisticated theoretical models, weaves a vast and complex tapestry of texts and theories seamlessly together, and is never less than razor sharp in its analysis ... The central metaphor of Samuelson’s study is that of the claim, playing of course on the idea of the miner’s claim: the claim to extractive rights over land and mineral wealth. Samuelson cleverly inverts this proprietary idea of the claim: the literature of the South African city, she argues, constitutes a counter-claim on the city made by (or on behalf of) those marginalised from the city. This counter-claim is not for property or territory, but rather for ‘co-authorship of the city’ ..." Timothy Wright, The Johannesburg Review of Books

Meg Samuelson is Associate Professor in English and Creative Writing at the University of Adelaide, Australia, and Associate Professor Extraordinaire at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.