Abstract
NoViolet Bulawayos We Need New Names is one of a growing number of novels featuring characters from various African countries who migrate to the United States that ranges from Chris Abanis The Virgin of Flames to Teju Coles Open City, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichies Americanah and Taiye Selasis Ghana Must Go, to name just some of the best-known examples. Drawing on Sandro Mezzadra and Brett Neilsons argument about the border as method and on Naoki Sakais theorization of homolingual and heterolingual address, this article presents a discussion of We Need New Names as a narrative shaped by the polysemic and heterogeneous figure of the border.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 711-722 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Journal of Postcolonial Writing |
Volume | 51 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2 Nov 2015 |
Keywords
- Africa
- borders
- community
- homolingual and heterolingual address
- translation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Literature and Literary Theory