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Meg Arenberg, Assistant Professor of Comparative Literature in the Department of Humanities and the African Languages and Translation Program at the Africa Institute, participated in a panel discussion titled “Achebe and the Politics of Canonicity” at the Chinua Achebe Symposium and Memorial Celebration hosted by Princeton University on September 29, 2023.
The symposium, organized by the Africa World Initiative and Program in African Studies in collaboration with the Christie and Chinua Achebe Foundation, took place at Princeton University’s Arthur Lewis Auditorium within Robertson Hall.
The panel, “Achebe and the Politics of Canonicity,” was part of the broader symposium, which facilitated reflection on the conditions governing Achebe’s canonicity and their implications in the current literary landscape. Dr. Arenberg and her fellow panelists, including Dr. Simon Gikandi from Princeton University, Dr. Juliana Makuchi Nfah-Abbenyi from NC State University, Dr. Ranka Primorac from the University of Southampton, and Dr. Terri Ochiagha from the University of Edinburgh (who served as the discussant), examined the precise factors that contributed to Achebe’s canonicity. They explored how it either aligns with or challenges oversimplified and exoticized interpretations of Achebe’s work. Furthermore, they questioned the enduring significance of Achebe’s label as the ‘father of modern African literature’ and delved into the complexities of African texts and readerships that exist beyond the confines of Western canonicity. In essence, this engaging discourse provided a platform for scholars and experts to delve deeply into Chinua Achebe’s literary legacy within the global literary context.
The symposium also included a welcome address by Chika Okeke-Agulu, Director of the Africa World Initiative and Director of the Program in African Studies, as well as Christie Achebe from the Christie and Chinua Achebe Foundation. The keynote address was delivered by His Excellency Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra State, Nigeria, which added depth to the other panels and discussions held during the two-day symposium.
For more details about the Chinua Achebe Symposium and related events, please visit Princeton University’s official website.
Meg Arenberg, Assistant Professor of Comparative Literature in the Department of Humanities and the African Languages and Translation Program at the Africa Institute, participated in a panel discussion titled “Achebe and the Politics of Canonicity” at the Chinua Achebe Symposium and Memorial Celebration hosted by Princeton University on September 29, 2023.
Meg Arenberg, Assistant Professor of Comparative Literature in the Department of Humanities and the African Languages and Translation Program at the Africa Institute, participated in a panel discussion titled “Achebe and the Politics of Canonicity” at the Chinua Achebe Symposium and Memorial Celebration hosted by Princeton University on September 29, 2023.
The symposium, organized by the Africa World Initiative and Program in African Studies in collaboration with the Christie and Chinua Achebe Foundation, took place at Princeton University’s Arthur Lewis Auditorium within Robertson Hall.
The panel, “Achebe and the Politics of Canonicity,” was part of the broader symposium, which facilitated reflection on the conditions governing Achebe’s canonicity and their implications in the current literary landscape. Dr. Arenberg and her fellow panelists, including Dr. Simon Gikandi from Princeton University, Dr. Juliana Makuchi Nfah-Abbenyi from NC State University, Dr. Ranka Primorac from the University of Southampton, and Dr. Terri Ochiagha from the University of Edinburgh (who served as the discussant), examined the precise factors that contributed to Achebe’s canonicity. They explored how it either aligns with or challenges oversimplified and exoticized interpretations of Achebe’s work. Furthermore, they questioned the enduring significance of Achebe’s label as the ‘father of modern African literature’ and delved into the complexities of African texts and readerships that exist beyond the confines of Western canonicity. In essence, this engaging discourse provided a platform for scholars and experts to delve deeply into Chinua Achebe’s literary legacy within the global literary context.
The symposium also included a welcome address by Chika Okeke-Agulu, Director of the Africa World Initiative and Director of the Program in African Studies, as well as Christie Achebe from the Christie and Chinua Achebe Foundation. The keynote address was delivered by His Excellency Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra State, Nigeria, which added depth to the other panels and discussions held during the two-day symposium.
For more details about the Chinua Achebe Symposium and related events, please visit Princeton University’s official website.
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