Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Modern Approaches in Humanities and Social sciences
Year: 2023
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.33422/7th.icmhs.2023.11.120
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Exploring The Influence of Globalisation and Neoliberalism On Hybridised African Subjectivity in John Trengrove’s the Wound (2017)
Simphiwe Mpho Zondani
ABSTRACT:
Considering the recent resurgence of polemical Afrocentric thought, the relationship between the global North and the African continent is once again under scrutiny. Globalising forces have been portrayed as tools of neocolonial imperialism, which limit and homogenise African subjectivity to resemble that of the North. However, this article challenges this notion by exploring the contribution of globalisation and access to the neoliberal marketplace in shaping a hybrid subjectivity that defies African and Northern notions of ‘authentic’ identity. Instead, it embraces agency and choice facilitated by these globalising forces. This study closely analyses John Trengrove’s film, The Wound (2017), as a text that challenges geographical boundaries and promotes a more hybrid form of subjectivity. The article provides an overview of neoliberalism and its role in facilitating globalisation, highlighting the resistance faced by pockets of ‘traditional’ culture. Additionally, The Wound (2017) is examined as a cinematic expression of globalisation’s transformative potential, as it subverts traditional cultural performances and offers an opportunity to embrace a globalised world for identity representation. Finally, the article emphasises the significance of representing diverse forms of subjectivity in media texts, moving away from normative or prescribed modes of identity performance.
keywords: Africa, globalisation, neoliberalism, subjectivity, representation