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In August of 2012, following the massacre at the Marikana mines where South African police forces shot over one hundred striking miners, killing thirty-four, one miner interviewed for the world news report explained his opinion after this event that his life was now no different than it was under the apartheid regime. How could life in the “new” South Africa, under a new democratically elected government, seem to be so very much the same, in this man’s opinion, as his life under the violent apartheid regime? In addition to this miner’s perspective, several contemporary South African novels, perhaps most notably J.M. Coetzee’s Disgrace, offer rather bleak views of “post-apartheid” South Africa as continuing in many ways the violences of the past. How, then, to bring about different ways of living? How to transform social relations away from neocolonial repetitions of the apartheid and colonial pasts toward something that could truly be considered different? This paper considers how, despite their often pessimistic pronouncements on the state of the “new” South Africa, contemporary South African novels nonetheless point to a potential way out of the same ways of thinking toward different and new living conditions and organizations of society. Through a reading of Zakes Mda’s The Heart of Redness, a novel that weaves together a colonial era narrative with a story set in contemporary post-apartheid South Africa, this paper argues that more positive relations between humans, animals, and the environment might arise from affective encounters with animals and certain indigenous notions of desire.

The Robertson School's Distinguished Dabney Professor Bob Levey will hold a lecture entitled, "The Future of the Media," on March 23 at 2:30 p.m. in the VCU Commons Theater. In the lecture, Levey "will touch on the business issues that have reshaped the industry, as well as the outlook for responsible journalism in the Trump era." He also plans on discussing what the next decade will look like for the media. This event is open to VCU faculty, staff and students, as well as the public. There is no admission charge. Mr. Bob Levey, Virginius Dabney Distinguished Professor of Journalism in VCU’s Robertson School for the 2016-2017 academic year, has been a working journalist in Washington, D.C. for nearly 50 years. He was a reporter and columnist at The Washington Post for 36 of those years. For 23 years, he wrote a daily column, “Bob Levey’s Washington,” for The Washington Post. Seven times, Bob was named one of the most popular columnists in Washington by Washingtonian magazine for his Post column. In addition, he has been a prize-winning commentator on radio and television.

This series is presented by VCU Libraries in collaboration with the VCU Office of Research and Innovation. Learn more about this and other Digital Pragmata events, past and future, in the official blog.

This event is part of the ongoing Copyright for Creators series, which take place in room 303 of the James Branch Cabell Library. Events are free and open to all, but registration is required as lunch will be provided. Parking on the Monroe Park campus is available for a fee in the West Broad Street, West Main Street and West Cary Street parking decks. If special accommodations are needed, please call Gregory Kimbrell, events and programs coordinator, at (804) 828-0593.

This event is funded by the VCUarts Inclusion Infusion Initiative. The initiative funds visiting artists, designers, performers and scholars whose work offers a catalyst for student dialogue about diverse aspects of identity–culture, class, race, gender, sexuality, religion. For other Inclusion Infusion events, search “Inclusion” on the VCUarts calendar.

Wednesday April 5, 4:00 PM Globe 1030J, 830 West Grace Street Admission is free and all are welcome!

Wednesday March 15, 4:00 PM Cabell Library Lecture Hall, 901 Park Avenue Admission is free and all are welcome!