Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology
School of Information Technology
Department of Information Science
Selected Highlights from Research Findings
Despite the fact that several departments at both South African and international universities offer courses in Afrikaans children's literature, as well as the existence of institutes for children's literature, to date no literary history of Afrikaans children’s' and youth literature has been compiled.
The aim of this work was to fill this gap with a comprehensive history that could be used by academics, researchers and other role players in this field. This goal was reached with the publication of Van Patrys-hulle tot Hanna Hoekom. 'n Gids tot die Afrikaanse kinderboek.
This 511 page 11 chapter publication offers a chronological history of the various genres and themes relevant to Afrikaans children's and youth literature, namely a historical overview of prose, poetry, drama, the series book, illustrated books, translated books, magazines and literary awards. It also describes the lives and works of Afrikaans children's and youth authors in 126 information rich profiles.
Apart form her function as editor of this book in which 18 collaborators from various disciplines took part, Snyman was also responsible for the overview of the history of the Afrikaans youth series book as well as a complete bibliography of all such books produced between 1920 and 2001. In addition she wrote 23 of the profiles.
No previous research on this genre has ever been done. The book has already been described by commentators as a standard work in Afrikaans literature and has gone into a second print only six months after publication. Prof ME Snyman
Information Science
+27 (0) 12 420 3764
maritha.snyman@up.ac.za
The aim of this research project entitled: The Politics of Reading Regulation in South Africa was to determine what influences readers' choices, and how and why social agents (publishers, librarians, teachers, the state, etc) regulate reading.
It was found that influences range from proscription like censorship and pricing strategies, to forms of prescription like reading lists and propaganda. Dick also traced elements of regulation in contemporary large-scale reading and literacy campaigns in South Africa.
Findings also uncovered historical aspects of South Africa's reading culture such as book burning, book smuggling by apartheid political prisoners and activists, efforts by women's organizations to promote nation-building through history books at the turn of the nineteenth century, and a book scheme to expand the idea of democracy among white and black troops during the Second World War.
The research further probed the connections between the reading of books, magazines, newspapers, letters, and so forth and the shaping of South Africa's history. Did slaves at the Cape escape after reading the letters of other escaped slaves? How did the promotion of reading contribute to uplift efforts among poor Afrikaners, and foster ethnic identity? Which books influenced Steve Biko's ideas about black consciousness? Where were the ideas of apartheid, and reconciliation, first read, and how were they propagated in books?
Archie Dick
Information Science
+27 (0) 12 420 2294
archie.dick@up.ac.za
|
