Nation-Building, Propaganda, and Literature in Francophone Africa

What characterizes the relationship between literature and the state?
Should literature serve the needs of the state by constructing national
consciousness, espousing state propaganda, and molding good citizens? Or should it
be dedicated to a different kind of creative social endeavor? In this important book
about literature and the politics of nation-building, Dominic Thomas assesses the
contributions of Francophone African writers whose works have played a key role in
the recent transition to democracy in the Congo. Exploring the works of Sony Labou
Tansi, Henri Lopes, and Emmanuel Dongala, among others, Thomas highlights writers
intimately involved with government and politics -- whether in support of the
state's vision or with the intention of articulating a more open view of citizens
and society. Focusing on themes such as collaboration, reconciliation, identity,
history, and memory, Nation-Building, Propaganda, and Literature in Francophone
Africa elaborates a broader understanding of the circumstances of African
colonization, modern African nation-state formation, and the complex cultural
dynamics at work in Africa since independence.