South African Modernism 1880-2020

Lead Research Organisation: University of Salford
Department Name: Sch of Arts, Media & Creative Technology

Abstract

African artists and writers are rarely associated with modernism. It is traditionally thought of as a Euro-American artistic movement spanning roughly the period 1890-1939. When Africa is discussed in relation to modernism, it is always assigned an outsider position. African art and sculpture is therefore either seen as "primitive" inspiration for key modernist figures such as Pablo Picasso, Roger Fry and Virginia Woolf; or otherwise African artists and writers such as Ernest Mancoba, Chinua Achebe and Ngugi wa Thiong'o are described as "late modernists" or imitators of Euro-American forms. This research project aims to challenge these long-held beliefs about the relationship between Africa and modernism through a specific case study on South Africa.

We aim to overhaul conventional narratives of modernism by providing a comprehensive account of South African literary modernism and its international connections across the period 1880-2020. We will investigate a) how South African personal and textual networks helped shape literary modernism from the nineteenth century to the present day; b) how modernism continues to provide a politically-charged mode of representation for South African writers responding to major historical events and changing political, economic, social and cultural contexts; and c) how South African literature is related, and compares, to other global forms of modernist writing.

Using evidence gathered in the process of answering these questions, the project also seeks to fulfil one further aim, which is to support the development of decolonised curriculums in English Studies. Campaigns since 2015, including #RhodesMustFall and "Why is my curriculum white?" have brought this issue to international public attention. "Decolonising curriculums" is now a top priority for educators at all levels. We will therefore use public-facing events and academic workshops to support the creation of freely-available research and teaching documents, recordings of talks by academics, non-academic publications and other online resources. These materials will aid educators in reframing how modernism is thought about and taught, by revealing the central role played by South African writers in the development of a major literary movement.

The period of study commences with the 1880 completion of the first South African novel, Olive Schreiner's The Story of an African Farm, and ends at 2020, the centenary of Schreiner's death. The planned activities for 2020 include public-facing events that celebrate her contribution, as well as the centenary of the completion of Solomon Plaatje's Mhudi (and 90th anniversary of its publication); the 60th anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre; and the 30th anniversary of Nelson Mandela's release from prison. Through scholarly and crossover academic/journalistic publications, the project team will also be examining the transnational personal and literary connections of South African writers such as William Plomer, Roy Campbell, Richard Rive, Lewis Nkosi, Nadine Gordimer, Peter Abrahams, Alex la Guma, and others. These events, people and texts established and inspired modernist literary forms in South Africa and beyond, and affected global public perceptions of colonial, apartheid and postcolonial South Africa. They therefore provide vantage points from which to assess the relationships between modernist literature and politics on the world stage.

The PI will lead the organisation of the project events and academic workshops, and produce three single-authored scholarly outputs; the Co-I will produce a new edition of Schreiner's The Story of an African Farm; the PI and Co-I will co-edit an essay collection; and the PI and RA will co-author one article aimed at school and college English teachers, and one aimed at a general readership. The project will therefore open up new perspectives on modernism and South African literature for scholars, educators and the wider public.

Planned Impact

The Co-I's newly edited text of the first South African novel, Olive Schreiner's The Story of an African Farm (Edinburgh University Press) is the major access point for impact for this project, as beneficiaries of this publication will extend beyond HE researchers and educators. Its audience will include teachers and students working in secondary, FE and HE contexts across English Studies, Creative Writing, Modern History and African Studies, as well as encompassing a broad general readership throughout the UK, USA, South Africa, and other Anglophone and African nations. We anticipate that the new edition will create an impactful cultural experience for these international audiences by changing reader perceptions and enhancing their cultural understanding of South African and modernist literatures, cultures and histories. It will also create financial benefits for a UK publisher.

The project's three international events and two workshops will have the potential to change public attitudes towards South African literature, the modernist canon and the geopolitics of modernist innovation in ways that can directly affect their future representations. Our collaboration with the organisers of the 10th Annual Schreiner Karoo Writers' Festival is key, as the event regularly attracts 600+ attendees and hosts talks by world-famous writers such as Etienne van Heerden, and Booker and Nobel Prize winner JM Coetzee. It also includes literary walking tours, readings, performances, and school outreach activities alongside academic papers. This means that we have the potential to disseminate our research findings to large audiences of academics, writers, librarians, museum curators, school pupils, teachers, local communities and international tourists. All of the project events aim to strengthen links between universities, researchers and cultural institutions in the UK, South Africa and beyond by emphasising the role of literary heritage in establishing and maintaining international connections. The public-facing nature of the events means that they also have the potential to enhance public knowledge, skills and understanding, and provide benefits for people with diverse backgrounds and interests.

The 'decolonising the curriculum' movement has newly brought the subjects and frameworks of university education to international public attention. We aim to support this initiative by providing new material for study in the critical edition of The Story of an African Farm, and freely available research and teaching documents that support the production of decolonised curriculums in English Studies. These will be produced in two workshops on 'decolonising modernism' in relation to research and teaching, as well as in school outreach activities conducted as part of the first project event. We will also pitch an article to The Use of English journal, which is the longest-standing journal for English school and college teachers, and produce a crossover academic/public article for The Conversation, which attracts 5.4million unique users monthly. Both articles will link to our digital tools to enable a fully interactive approach with respondents.

The project website aims to be highly accessible and user friendly. It will host digital resources produced as part of the project, and will include recordings of talks, school outreach documents, blog posts, and materials from the two workshops. These resources will primarily be useful for research and teaching purposes, but their presence in the public domain means that they also have the potential to embrace groups beyond tertiary education. The website will be advertised through relevant academic societies, social media, university websites, and research and crossover articles. Space for visitor comments and links to associated social media sites (facebook and twitter) will provide further means for cultivating dialogues with diverse audiences and recording public responses to the research.
 
Title All That is Buried 
Description A short documentary film about South African creativity today, featuring musician Dizu Plaaatjies, artist Haroon Gunn-Salie, poet Zizipho Bam and writer Sindiswa Busuku. 
Type Of Art Film/Video/Animation 
Year Produced 2022 
Impact PREMIERE: On 11th November 2022 we premiered our film, All That Is Buried, as part of the Being Human Festival 2022: Breakthroughs to an audience of around 65. The screening included a Q+A with filmmakers Simon Stanton-Sharma and Maire Tracey, editor Liza Ryan-Carter, and project researchers Emma Barnes, Sanja Nivesjö and Jade Munslow Ong. The film then screened at various institutions and film festivals internationally, including at the University of Salford (June 2023), the Schreiner Karoo Writers Festival South Africa (June 2023), the Castle of Good Hope South Africa (June 2023), Bolton International Film Festival (October 2023), Tangier Film Festival (November 2023), Earl's Court Film Festival (November 2023) and Nottingham Trent University (December 2023). Audiences reported increased knowledge and changed opinions. See: https://www.southafricanmodernism.com/film https://www.southafricanmodernism.com/post/filming-in-cape-town-july-2022 https://www.southafricanmodernism.com/filmscreening https://www.southafricanmodernism.com/post/decolonising-teaching-and-research-in-literary-studies-and-the-being-human-festival-2022 https://www.southafricanmodernism.com/post/south-africa-june-2023 https://www.southafricanmodernism.com/post/bolton-film-festival https://www.southafricanmodernism.com/post/tangier-film-festival-morocco 
URL https://www.southafricanmodernism.com/film
 
Title Online Gallery 
Description On 12th November 2022 the project team organised the public event: 'Art and Writing Workshops Inspired by South African Modernism' as part of the Being Human Festival 2022: Breakthroughs. The workshops invited members of the public to engage creatively with the work of South African modernist artist, Albert Adams (large collection owned by, and on display in 2 galleries at the University of Salford). Participants were provided with an introduction to Adams' life and work by Dr Alice Correia who leads the Albert Adams in Context project, as well as an introduction to intersections between South African modernist art and literature by Dr Jade Munslow Ong. The art and writing sessions were led by award-winning creative writer, Dr Judy Kendall, and professional artist and PhD researcher, Natalie Ilsley. A short film about the event, and an online Gallery of art and writing produced by members of the public here: https://www.southafricanmodernism.com/artandwriting 
Type Of Art Artistic/Creative Exhibition 
Year Produced 2022 
Impact Participants reported social and personal benefits. 
URL https://www.southafricanmodernism.com/artandwriting
 
Title Online Gallery 
Description University of Salford students were invited to submit cover art for a forthcoming edited collection: Jade Munslow Ong and Andrew van der Vlies, Olive Schreiner: Writing Networks and Global Contexts (Edinburgh University Press). All of the submissions appear in the online gallery: https://www.southafricanmodernism.com/bookcover 
Type Of Art Artistic/Creative Exhibition 
Year Produced 2023 
Impact The winning student will have her artwork published as the front cover of a project book. Other students report increased traffic to their websites and art sales. Other designs may be used for other books published as part of the research project. 
URL https://www.southafricanmodernism.com/bookcover
 
Title Online Gallery 
Description Visual Texts made by college students from College Jean D'Arc in France 
Type Of Art Artistic/Creative Exhibition 
Year Produced 2023 
Impact Students comments on expanded knowledge and interest in South African modernist art and literature 
URL https://www.southafricanmodernism.com/post/coll%C3%A8ge-jeanne-d-arc-from-clermont-ferrand-france
 
Title Online Gallery: Zines 
Description On 11th November 2023 the project team organised the public event 'Make Your Own Zine Inspired by DRUM Magazine' as part of the Being Human Festival 2023. Ours was one of a series of four events grouped under the title 'The Anthropozine: Being Human in the Age of Zines', which was led by Dr Emma Barnes at the University of Salford. For our event, we invited members of the public to join us in the Zine Maker Space at the Clifford Whitworth Library to create zines inspired by South Africa's pioneering DRUM Magazine of the 1950s and 1960s. Festivalgoers were provided with an introduction to the history of zines and zine making by librarian and zinester Reis Tobolski, and an introduction to the background and importance of DRUM Magazine by Professor Jade Munslow Ong. Many of the zines created by workshop participants engaged directly with the art, photography, journalism and fiction published in DRUM. Of particular interest were the images and articles featuring political leaders such as Steve Biko and Kwame Nkrumah, female representation in the magazine, and Casey Motsisi's Bug series. Other participants pursued their own interests, producing various collaged zines with colourful aesthetics, mini-zines, and feminist zines about women in Iran, female celebrities and the press, and women and crime. At the end of the event, festivalgoers donated photocopies of their zines to the free vending machZine and/or hid their creations in relevant books around the library for others to find. 
Type Of Art Artistic/Creative Exhibition 
Year Produced 2023 
Impact Participants enjoyed the event and reported improved creativity, engagement and interest in the Drum Magazine and radical art. 
URL https://www.southafricanmodernism.com/beinghuman2023drumzines
 
Description We are two thirds of the way through the project. Findings thus far:

- There are a number of key South African writers and artists who developed their own modernist literary forms independently and in relation to the work of canonical modernist writers. Outputs that demonstrate this finding include two peer-reviewed articles, a film, three BBC radio programmes, public engagement activities for A-Level learners and members of the public, a blog, academic events, and other. These outputs include critical and creative analyses and interpretations of work by South African artists and writers such as Olive Schreiner, Roy Campbell, Can Themba, Richard Rive, Eskia Mphalele, Bessie Head, Sol Plaatje and Albert Adams, and in relation to work by figures such as Margaret Harkness, Olive Schreiner, Joseph Conrad, Sam Selvon and others.
Exploitation Route The findings thus far will change the way we think about the development of literary modernism, and support decolonising work in Further Education, Higher Education and beyond. Engagement with South African voices, writing and art has proved inspirational to non-university students, teachers and members of the public who report changing thinking, curricula and newly inspired creative practice as a result of our research.
Sectors Education

Culture

Heritage

Museums and Collections

URL http://southafricanmodernism.com
 
Description Our project to decolonise the English Literature A-Level has led teachers we work with to change course texts to incorporate more literature by African and other global writers, has directly led to an increased number of students writing on postcolonial topics in their A-Level assessments (achieving top grades), and has encouraged students to pursue further study in English Literature. Feedback from A-Level exam board Eduqas: "I found [your article] fascinating. I was encouraged by the approach to not only broaden learners' reading and understanding but also to give voice to those who have been and still are marginalised. We have been discussing here ways in which we could decolonize the curriculum in ways that aren't merely ticking a box. We know that merely placing a text on a specification doesn't necessarily lead teachers to choose it, and the 'range of structural considerations' you mention means that they often won't choose that text. There's clearly a great deal of work to be done, but your article and research is an important step in the journey." (article then circulated to the 3000 teachers on the Eduqas mailing list) Feedback from teachers: "'I found so many aspects of this lecture useful! The introductions to key concepts were incredibly clear and will have helped to introduce new concepts to our GCSE students and reinforce existing understanding for our A level/IBac students. The most useful aspect was the introduction to the key concepts of postcolonialism and the concept that a modernist tradition was at work in Schreiner and Plaatje's writing before it appeared in European modernism. My Head of Department and I are considering how we might use Plaatje's work in our Comparative A Level coursework next year as a result of this suggestion. The argument that Schreiner and Plaatje are modernist writers gave me a way to teach South African Literature in a meaningful way in my A level classroom. I would like to explore the possibility of teaching Plaatje's novel (as modernist text) in comparison with a 21st century text as part of the A Level coursework next year." "Our students certainly had hugely improved confidence in their component 3 exam than in previous years. Going back about 5 years, this unit of work was literally taught as an add-on and wasn't given the focus we give to it now. Your input has helped to confirm that what we teach is relevant and accurate - so thank you. We had some stand-out, full mark component 3 responses in 2022, which was pleasing. The long term impact of your sessions is significant. I am constantly renewing the material we teach and how we approach it. It has impacted on the training of my department too and has certainly widened staff knowledge." "the session you organised last year for us was outstanding and the girls loved it. Quite a lot of them went on to write about post-colonialism in their coursework as a result and 3 of the girls applied to read English Literature at Oxbridge!" Feedback from our public engagement activities include: 'The cultural and political events inspired me today. I have found this of great importance in art and will investigate more' 'The influence of apartheid on [Albert] Adams' art is a great example of how politics can affect perception. This has raised awareness on why politics may play a big part in how we interact with the world' 'I've never seen nor experienced South African art, culture, etc, so this was an inspiring introduction' 'I've learnt new ways to use watercolours' 'I will start writing again, maybe poetry or prose' 'I have learned new techniques for idea creation which I would like to try out more' 'I'm not a writer but I've surprised myself when putting pen to paper.' 'I really enjoyed the writing workshop. It is surprising how it has stimulated me to write so freely and be expressive through collage'
First Year Of Impact 2021
Sector Creative Economy,Education
Impact Types Cultural

Societal

 
Description AHRC NorthWest Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership Target Funding
Amount £4,973 (GBP)
Organisation North West Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership (NWCDTP) 
Sector Multiple
Country United Kingdom
Start 07/2021 
End 08/2022
 
Description Being Human Festival Award (AHRC/British Academy)
Amount £1,000 (GBP)
Organisation Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 05/2022 
End 02/2023
 
Description Being Human Festival Award British Academy / AHRC
Amount £1,212 (GBP)
Organisation Being Human Festival 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Start 11/2023 
End 11/2023
 
Description Discounted Writing Retreat
Amount £100 (GBP)
Organisation The Landmark Trust 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 04/2023 
End 05/2023
 
Description Policy Support Fund
Amount £37,074 (GBP)
Organisation University of Salford 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 09/2024 
End 07/2025
 
Description QR Grant to fund 0.2FTE Impact and Engagement Fellow (7 months)
Amount £5,437 (GBP)
Organisation University of Salford 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2023 
End 07/2023
 
Description QR Grant to fund 0.2FTE Research Assistant (7 months)
Amount £5,357 (GBP)
Organisation University of Salford 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2023 
End 07/2023
 
Description QR Grant to fund on-campus writing retreat and research showcase
Amount £3,850 (GBP)
Organisation University of Salford 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 03/2023 
End 06/2023
 
Description Reignite Your Research Grant, University of Salford
Amount £4,995 (GBP)
Organisation University of Salford 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 02/2022 
End 07/2022
 
Description Research Impact Fund, University of Salford
Amount £2,230 (GBP)
Organisation University of Salford 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2021 
End 08/2021
 
Description Research Impact and Public Engagement Award
Amount £3,170 (GBP)
Organisation University of Salford 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 08/2023 
End 07/2024
 
Description Research Travel Grant for Writing Retreat
Amount £1,030 (GBP)
Organisation University of Salford 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 04/2023 
End 05/2023
 
Description Target Funding: to fund impact/engagement work in schools and colleges
Amount £2,230 (GBP)
Organisation North West Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership (NWCDTP) 
Sector Multiple
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2023 
End 07/2023
 
Description University of Salford Research Impact and Public Engagement Fund Grant to support work in colleges/schools
Amount £4,923 (GBP)
Organisation University of Salford 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 09/2022 
End 07/2023
 
Title 02/02/2022 - Burnley College 
Description 02/02/2022 - Burnley CollegeDelivery:x1 1 hour lecture and x2 1 hour workshops on Richard Wright's Native Son and Peter Abrahams's Mine Boy80 students; 2 teachers.Data:Student PostcardsTeacher QuestionnaireNB scanned copies of physical postcards are not available since they were returned to the students. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/02_02_2022_-_Burnley_College/24624042
 
Title 04/11/2021 - Cheltenham Ladies College 
Description 04/11/2021 - Cheltenham Ladies CollegeDelivery:x1 1 hour lecture on 'Colonialism and African Literature: Peter Abrahams' Mine Boy (1946)' plus Q&A (Jade Munslow Ong)15 students, 1 teacher.Data:Teacher Questionnaire 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/04_11_2021_-_Cheltenham_Ladies_College/24619713
 
Title 09/03/2023 - Withington Girls School 
Description 09/03/2023 - Withington Girls SchoolDelivery:x1 1 hour lecture on Feminist Theory, Gender, and Empirex1 1 hour lecture on the Postcolonial Ecocriticism and African Literaturex1 1 hour workshop on Olive Schreinerx1 1 hour workshop on Bessie Head39 students; 2 teachers.Data:Student PostcardsStudent QuestionnairesTeacher Questionnaires 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/09_03_2023_-_Withington_Girls_School/24614982
 
Title 09/11/2023 - Cheltenham Ladies College 
Description 09/11/2023 - Cheltenham Ladies CollegeDelivery:x1 1 hour lecture on Gender, Empire, and the Modern10 students; 1 teacher.Data:x1 Student Postcard 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/09_11_2023_-_Cheltenham_Ladies_College/24619692
 
Title 10/12/2020 - Cheltenham Ladies College 
Description 10/12/2020 - Cheltenham Ladies CollegeDelivery:x1 1 hour lecture on Gender, Empire, and the Modern20 students; 1 teacher.Data:Student Postcard [sent via email due to COVID-19]Teacher Questionnaire 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/10_12_2020_-_Cheltenham_Ladies_College/24615432
 
Title 11/02/2022 - Rivington and Blackrod Sixth Form 
Description 11/02/2022 - Rivington and Blackrod Sixth FormDelivery:x1 1 hour lecture on Postcolonialism and Marxism (AQA B) and x2 1.5 hour workshops on South African Prose and South African Poetry15 students; 2 teachers.Data:Student PostcardsTeacher QuestionnaireNB scanned copies of physical postcards are not available since they were returned to the students. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/11_02_2022_-_Rivington_and_Blackrod_Sixth_Form/24624012
 
Title 11/11/2023 - Being Human Festival 
Description 11/11/2023 - Being Human FestivalDelivery:x1 3 hour zine-making workshop in which participants created their own zines inspired by the South African DRUM magazine of the 1950s/60s - a publication that was vital for Black representation and anti-racist action under apartheid.16 participants.Data:Participant Questionnaires 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/11_11_2023_-_Being_Human_Festival/24623781
 
Title 15/03/2023 - Rochdale Sixth Form College 
Description 15/03/2023 - Rochdale Sixth Form College.Delivery:x1 1 hour lecture and x1 1.5 hour workshop on James Joyce and Olive Schreiner7 students; 1 teacher.Data:Student PostcardsStudent QuestionnairesTeacher Questionnaire 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/15_03_2023_-_Rochdale_Sixth_Form_College/24611232
 
Title 17/03/2021 - Carmel College 
Description 17/03/2021 - Carmel CollegeDelivery [online due to COVID-19]:x2 1 hour lectures and x6 1 hour workshops on Olive Schreiner and South African Modernism (Eduqas)86 students; 1 teacher.Data:Student Comments via the chatbox on Microsoft TeamsTeacher Questionnaire 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/17_03_2021_-_Carmel_College/24615501
 
Title 20/06/2023 - Trafford College (National College Podcast) 
Description 20/06/2023 - Trafford College (National College Podcast)Delivery:x1 3 hour student-led podcast on the theme of 'Studying English'.6 students; 1 teacher.Data:Student PostcardsTeacher Questionnaire 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/20_06_2023_-_Trafford_College_National_College_Podcast_/246197...
 
Title 22/02/2021 - Loreto College 
Description 22/02/2021 - Loreto CollegeDelivery [online due to COVID-19]:x2 1 hour lectures and x6 1 hour workshops on Olive Schreiner and South African Modernism (Eduqas)99 students; 6 teachers.Data:Student Comments via the chatbox on Microsoft TeamsTeacher Questionnaires 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/22_02_2021_-_Loreto_College/24615462
 
Title 22/03/2023 - Burnley College 
Description 22/03/2023 - Burnley CollegeDelivery:x1 1 hour lecture and x1 1 hour workshop on Olive Schreiner and F. Scott Fitzgerald21 students; 1 teacher.Data:Student PostcardsStudent Questionnaires 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/22_03_2023_-_Burnley_College/24613632
 
Title 23/03/2023 - Sale Grammar 
Description 23/03/2023 - Sale GrammarDelivery:x1 1 hour lecture and x1 1.5 hour workshop on Olive Schreiner, Postcolonialism, and Marxism (AQA B)17 students; 1 teacher.Data:Student PostcardsStudent QuestionnairesTeacher Questionnaire 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/23_03_2023_-_Sale_Grammar/24613086
 
Title 23/04/2023 - Blackburn College 
Description 23/04/2023 - Blackburn CollegeDelivery:x1 1 hour lecture and x1 1.5 hour workshop on Olive Schreiner, Postcolonialism, and Marxism (AQA B)16 students; 1 teacher.Data:Student PostcardsStudent QuestionnairesTeacher Questionnaire 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/23_04_2023_-_Blackburn_College/24611961
 
Title 29/04/2022 - Sale Grammar 
Description 29/04/2022 - Sale GrammarDelivery:x1 1 hour lecture and x1 1.5 hour workshop on Olive Schreiner, Postcolonialism, and Marxism (AQA B)20 students; 1 teacher.Data:Student PostcardsTeacher QuestionnaireNB scanned copies of physical postcards are not available since they were returned to the students. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/29_04_2022_-_Sale_Grammar/24623991
 
Description '"Too uncompromising a figure to be so disposed of": Virginia Woolf and/on Olive Schreiner', Bangor University 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Jade was invited to give the paper '"Too uncompromising a figure to be so disposed of": Virginia Woolf and/on Olive Schreiner' as part of the English Seminar Series at Bangor University (Mar 2021).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description 'Collaborative Approaches to Decolonising for Postgraduate Researchers', Salford Postgraduate Annual Research Conference 2023, University of Salford (Jul 2023) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Jade delivered the keynote at the annual Salford Postgraduate event
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description 'Decolonising, De-marginalising, Sampling, Coining: Critical Pedagogies for Contemporary Literary Studies' 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Jade gave a panel and took part in a panel discussion: 'Decolonising, De-marginalising, Sampling, Coining: Critical Pedagogies for Contemporary Literary Studies' (with John Roache (Manchester), Veronica Barnsley (Sheffield) and Jade Cuttle (Cambridge)), 'What Happens Now?' Conference of the British Association for Contemporary Literary Studies, University of Birmingham (Sep 2023)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.bacls.org/
 
Description 'Olive Schreiner's anti-colonial allegories', Oxford University 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact Jade was invited to speak on 'Olive Schreiner's Anti-colonial Allegories' at Kellogg College at the University of Oxford in March 2021 as part of an undergraduate conference titled 'Victorian Literature: Colonial and Postcolonial Perspectives and Debates'
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description Andrew van der Vlies Conference paper: 'Virginia Woolf, Karel Schoeman, Fiona Melrose: Hauntings and Disappointments.' 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Andrew gave a research paper at The Women of 1922: Feminist Experiments in the Miracle Year of Modernism Conference, University of Queensland, Brisbane
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description BBC New Thinking Podcast: 'Modernism, Exile and Homelessness' 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact DH Lawrence described outcasts living by the Thames, Mina Loy made art from trash, calling her pieces "refusées", Wyndham Lewis moved from England to North America in search of fame and stability after having been spurned by the cultural establishment in Britain. In this conversation about new research, Jade Munslow Ong discusses the way widening the canon of writers traditionally labelled as "modernist" might allow a greater understanding of attitudes towards homelessness and poverty in the early decades of the twentieth century.

Dr Laura Ryan was a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Galway researching modernism and homelessness investigating the work of writers who were literally homeless, including D. H. Lawrence, Claude McKay, Jean Rhys and Tom Kromer, and also looking at depictions of homelessness in modernist texts by George Orwell, Mina Loy and Samuel Beckett. She now teaches at the University of Limerick.

Dr Nathan Waddell is Associate Professor in Twentieth-Century Literature at the University of Birmingham. He is writing new books about Wyndham Lewis and about George Orwell. He has also edited collections of essays on Lewis, who featured in books already published by Nathan called Modernist Nowheres and Moonlighting. Nathan is also editing The Oxford Handbook of George Orwell. You can hear Nathan in a Free Thinking episode exploring futurism in a collection of discussions about modernism on the website of the Radio 3 Arts and Ideas programme

Dr Jade Munslow Ong is a Reader in English Literature at the University of Salford where she is working on a project entitled South African Modernism 1880-2020. You can hear about some of the authors featured in her Essay for Radio 3 called The South African Bloomsberries. She is a New Generation Thinker on the scheme run by the BBC and the Arts and Humanities Research Council to turn research into radio
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0gkfvh7
 
Description BBC Radio 3 Free Thinking programme: Modernism around the World 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Jade Munslow Ong was interviewed as part of a panel of experts for a 45 minute BBC Radio 3 Free Thinking programme on 'Modernism Around the World'.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001414s
 
Description BBC Radio 3 Free Thinking programme: New Generation Thinkers 2022 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Jade was announced and interviewed as one of the 2022 AHRC/BBC New Generation Thinkers
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0bym4ns
 
Description BBC Radio 3 Free Thinking programme: South African writing 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Jade joined Anne McElvoy, Damon Galgut and Julia Blackburn to discuss South African writing, including a 5 minute 'postcard essay' based on Jade's research
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0cdt682
 
Description BBC Radio 3 The Essay 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Jade Munslow Ong presented an episode of 'The Essay' on her research. Blurb as follows:

The South African Bloomsberries
The Essay
New Generation Thinkers 2022

Race relations aren't always thought of as being linked with the experimental writing and art promoted by the Bloomsbury set in 1920s Britain but New Generation Thinker Jade Munslow Ong, from the University of Salford, argues that without a group of South African authors who came to Britain we might not have Virginia Woolf's Orlando. But Roy Campbell, William Plomer and Laurens Van der Post weren't the only writers from that country with a Bloomsbury connection. A founder of the Native National Congress - later the ANC - was also hard at work on a novel which depicted an interracial friendship.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022,2023
URL https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001khb6
 
Description Being Human Festival 2023 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact On 11th November 2023 the project team organised the public event 'Make Your Own Zine Inspired by DRUM Magazine' as part of the Being Human Festival 2023. Ours was one of a series of four events grouped under the title 'The Anthropozine: Being Human in the Age of Zines', which was led by Dr Emma Barnes at the University of Salford.

For our event, we invited members of the public to join us in the Zine Maker Space at the Clifford Whitworth Library to create zines inspired by South Africa's pioneering DRUM Magazine of the 1950s and 1960s. Festivalgoers were provided with an introduction to the history of zines and zine making by librarian and zinester Reis Tobolski, and an introduction to the background and importance of DRUM Magazine by Professor Jade Munslow Ong.

Many of the zines created by workshop participants engaged directly with the art, photography, journalism and fiction published in DRUM. Of particular interest were the images and articles featuring political leaders such as Steve Biko and Kwame Nkrumah, female representation in the magazine, and Casey Motsisi's Bug series. Other participants pursued their own interests, producing various collaged zines with colourful aesthetics, mini-zines, and feminist zines about women in Iran, female celebrities and the press, and women and crime. At the end of the event, festivalgoers donated photocopies of their zines to the free vending machZine and/or hid their creations in relevant books around the library for others to find.

https://www.southafricanmodernism.com/beinghuman2023drumzines
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.beinghumanfestival.org/
 
Description Conference paper Jade Munslow Ong 'A Symbolist, a Naturalist and a South African Allegorist: Bloomsbury Modernisms at the fin de siècle', Women in World Literature, University of Warwick (Jun 2022) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Jade presented 'A Symbolist, a Naturalist and a South African Allegorist: Bloomsbury Modernisms at the fin de siècle', Women in World Literature, University of Warwick (Jun 2022)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/english/research/conferences/womeninworldliterature/
 
Description Conference paper by Emma Barnes 'Olive Schreiner and the New Women of New Zealand', Women in World Literature, University of Warwick (Jun 2022) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Emma Barnes gave a conference paper at Women in World Literature conference, University of Warwick (Jun 2022)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/english/research/conferences/womeninworldliterature/
 
Description English Teacher training day 'Decolonising the Curriculum' 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact 65 secondary and FE English teachers from the Manchester Catholic Education Partnership (MANCEP) attended a 1 hr keynote lecture by Jade on 'decolonising the curriculum'. This was the main activity of their teacher training day for 2022-23.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Interview for Bristol Ideas: Why Has Modernism Persisted in Africa? 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Jade was interviewed for Bristol Ideas.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.bristolideas.co.uk/watch/jade-munslow-ong-why-modernism-persists-in-africa/
 
Description Invited paper at the University of York, 'The Bloomsbury Modernisms of Margaret Harkness and Olive Schreiner', Modern School Seminar Series 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Jade delivered a research paper at the Modern School seminar series.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://www.york.ac.uk/english/news-events/events/2022/bloomsburymodernisms/
 
Description Invited paper at Nottingham Trent University 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Jade gave a joint paper with Simon Stanton-Sharma: 'The Making of All That Is Buried: Dialog, Chronotope and Decoloniality' at the Literature, Linguistics and Culture Seminar Series, Nottingham Trent University (Dec 2023)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Invited paper at Rhodes University, South Africa on 'Global Schreiner' 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact I delivered a paper as part of the English seminar series at Rhodes Uni.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://www.ru.ac.za/english/departmentnews/researchtriptosouthafricajuly-september2022.html
 
Description Jade Munslow Ong roundtable participant in 'Modernist Studies Beyond Britain', British Association for Modernist Studies, English: Shared Futures 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Jade took part in Roundtable 'Modernist Studies Beyond Britain' sponsored by the British Association for Modernist Studies, English: Shared Futures co-hosted by the universities of Manchester, Salford and MMU (Jul 2022)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://englishassociation.ac.uk/english-shared-futures/
 
Description Keynote Lecture for the Manchester Catholic Education Partnership on 'Decolonising the English Curriculum' 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact 65 teachers from across Manchester schools had their training day with English colleagues at Salford, and I delivered the keynote lecture on decolonising the English curriculum. This sparked interesting questions, discussion, and a request for a repeat session the following year (upcoming Feb 2023)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022,2023
 
Description National College Podcast Episode 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact In February 2024, the team created a podcast about South African literature and studying English at university in collaboration with English Literature A-Level students at Loreto College and National College Podcast. Students analysed an extract from Bessie Head's When Rain Clouds Gather (1968).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.mixcloud.com/National_College_Podcast/leigh-college-podcast-english-at-salford-universit...
 
Description National College Podcast Episode 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact In January 2024, the team created a podcast about South African literature and studying English at university in collaboration with English Literature A-Level students at Loreto College and National College Podcast. Students analysed Nadine Gordimer's short story 'Once Upon A Time' (1989).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.mixcloud.com/National_College_Podcast/english-at-loreto-6th-form-college-with-university...
 
Description National College Podcast Episode 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact In June 2023, the team created a podcast about South African literature and studying English at university in collaboration with English Literature A-Level students at Trafford College and National College Podcast. Students analysed a passage from Peter Abraham's novel Mine Boy (1946).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.mixcloud.com/National_College_Podcast/trafford-college-with-english/
 
Description National College Podcast Episode 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact In April 2023, the team created a podcast about South African literature and studying English at university in collaboration with English Literature A-Level students at Burnley College and National College Podcast. Students analysed Olive Schreiner's allegory, 'Three Dreams in a Desert' (1890).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.mixcloud.com/National_College_Podcast/burnley-college-english-students/
 
Description Paper by Andrew van der Vlies: 'Going South in the Winter: Eliot's South African Afterlives.' 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Andrew gave a paper at The Waste Land at 100 Academic Symposium, Department of English, Creative Writing, and Film, University of Adelaide, 29 April 2022.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Podcast: Full Particulars 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact In this first episode of David Attwell's monthly podcast, Full particulars, David hosts Zoë Wicomb reading from her new novel, Still life (Umuzi, 2020) and discusses historical (meta)fiction with Andrew van der Vlies, professor of English at the University of Adelaide. Music by Darius Brubeck: "Tugela Rail", published by Valentine Music / SAMRO.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://audiomack.com/mylitnet/song/david-attwell-zo-wicomb-andrew-van-der-vlies
 
Description Promises Unkept: Damon Galgut with Andrew van der Vlies 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Guest host Chris Holmes sits down with Booker Prize winning novelist Damon Galgut and Andrew van der Vlies, distinguished scholar of South African literature and global modernisms at the University of Adelaide, Australia. Andrew and Damon tunnel down into the structures of Damon's newest novel, The Promise to locate the ways in which a generational family story reflects broadly on South Africa's present moment. The two discuss how lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic invoke for some the limitations on movement during the Apartheid era in South Africa. The Promise is a departure from Damon's previous two novels, which were peripatetic in their global movement and range. Damon describes the ways in which this novel operates cinematically, as four flashes of a family's long history, with the disembodied narrator being the one on the move. Damon provocatively divides novels into two traditions: those that provide consolation, and those that can provide true insight on the world but must do so with a cold distance. While he does not call The Promise an allegory, Damon admits to the fun that he has with inside jokes that play with allegorical connections, as long as the reader is in on the joke. Damon directly takes on his choice to leave a pregnant absence in the narrative's insight into his black characters "sitting at the very heart of the book."
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://noveldialogue.org/2022/02/17/3-2-promises-unkept-damon-galgut-with-andrew-van-der-vlies-ch/
 
Description Screening of project film 'All That Is Buried' 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact All That Is Buried screened at The Troubadour in London on the 14th of November as part of the the 9th Annual Earl's Court International Film Festival.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://filmearlscourt.com/
 
Description Screening of project film 'All That Is Buried' 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact Our project film screened at the BAFTA and BIFA qualifying Bolton International Film Festival
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://delegates2023.boltonfilmfestival.com/onsite-schedule/
 
Description Screening of project film 'All That Is Buried' 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact All That Is Buried was selected to participate in the Short Documentary Competition at the 12th Annual Tangier International Film Festival in Morocco.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.facebook.com/tangierfilmfestival/
 
Description Screening of project film 'All That Is Buried' 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Study participants or study members
Results and Impact We screened All That Is Buried at the Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town. The event included a drinks reception and Q&A with the four subjects of the film: Haroon Gunn-Salie, Sindiswa Busuku, Zizipho Bam and Dizu Plaatjies.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.southafricanmodernism.com/post/south-africa-june-2023
 
Description Website and blog 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Our website contains all of the information about our project, hosts links to our publications, film, online galleries, etc. We produce regular blog posts on our project website. There have been over 5050 views across the 34 blog posts to date.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021,2022,2023,2024
URL https://www.southafricanmodernism.com/blog-1
 
Description Workshops: Decolonising the English Literature A-Level 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact Total funding: £61,197 including from AHRC NWCDTP (£7683, as two grants); University of Salford Policy Fund (£37,074); University of Salford Research Impact (and Public Engagement) Fund (£7153, as two grants); University of Salford Research Fund (£9287, as two grants).

Funding to hire one 0.2FTE Impact and Engagement Fellow (7 months Jan-Jul 2023), 0.4FTE Impact and Engagement Fellow (Nov 2023-Jul 2024) plus eight Hourly-Paid Lecturers (Jan 2021-Jul 2024) to develop and deliver lectures and workshops aimed at students pursuing A-Level English Literature qualifications. Aims of the project are as follows:

- To extend the reach and impacts of AHRC-funded research (South African Modernism 1880-2020)
- To assist student learning and preparation for A-Level English Literature assessments
- To support and enhance decolonising efforts in English Studies.
- To pilot activities that will inform future bids.

Teaching content includes (but is not limited to): 12x 30-60 min lectures (4 recorded for future use); 20+ distinct workshops designed and delivered multiple times; 3x teacher-led workshops designed and shared with teachers. Lecture topics include 'English Literature in Transition 1880-1910', 'Modernism and Empire 1880-1910', 'Introduction to Marxist and Postcolonial Approaches to South African Literature' and 'Gender, Empire and the Modern in Early South African Literature' (amongst others). Workshops focused on close readings of extracts from South African modernist literature in relation to key contexts and concepts. Writers include Olive Schreiner, Peter Abrahams, Sam Selvon, Joseph Conrad, Adam Small, Thomas Hardy, Bram Stoker, F Scott Fitzgerald, Bessie Head, Es'kia Mphalele, Nadine Gordimer and Richard Wright, amongst others.

Outcomes:

- Teaching sessions delivered to 1200+ students across 15 FE providers as of March 2024.
- Training delivered to over 70 English teachers across 11 schools and colleges as of March 2024
- Article by Jade Munslow Ong, 'Decolonising the English Literature GCE A-Level via the South African Ex-Centric' published in English: Journal of the English Association: https://academic.oup.com/english/article/70/270/244/6486608
- Article by Hannah Helm, Emma Barnes, Katie Barnes and Jade Munslow Ong, '"Make them roll in their graves": South African Writing, Decolonisation, and the English Literature A-Level' published in English in Education: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/04250494.2024.2312189?src=exp-la
- Article circulated to over 3000 English teachers as part of the Eduqas exam board newsletter.
- Two FE providers (Loreto and Cheltenham Ladies College) would like to incorporate South African literature in their A-Level syllabi.
- Various related blog posts published on project website www.southafricanmodernism.com
- 1000+ comments from students and teachers collated through postcards and surveys
- Conducting focus groups with teachers and exam boards AQA and WJEC Eduqas as of February 2024.

Example student feedback: 'After participating in such an insightful lecture, I realized how narrow my literary scope is - I am yet to be exposed to literature outside of my culture and those from esteemed British and American writers. The local curriculum needs to change, and I hope that someday I can expand the literary scope in the education sector'.

Example teacher feedback: 'The delivered content highlighted (for both me and the students) the current limitations we generally encounter with the exam board, who seem to take preference for white, British male writers. It has prompted me to look for ways to expand the reading list we deliver. [The sessions] successfully consolidated students' existing approach to unseen extracts (i.e. unpacking key ideas to do with setting, characters, language, tone, themes etc) whilst encouraging them to give (more than usual) weight to contextual ideas and interpretations, especially colonialism and the Empire. I think students found this refreshing as they were given more freedom to connect the dots between social history and literary interpretation'.

'Our students certainly had hugely improved confidence in their component 3 exam than in previous years. Going back about 5 years, this unit of work was literally taught as an add-on and wasn't given the focus we give to it now. Your input has helped to confirm that what we teach is relevant and accurate - so thank you. We had some stand-out, full mark component 3 responses in 2022, which was pleasing. The long term impact of your sessions is significant. I am constantly renewing the material we teach and how we approach it. It has impacted on the training of my department too and has certainly widened staff knowledge.'

'The session you organised last year for us was outstanding and the girls loved it. Quite a lot of them went on to write about post-colonialism in their coursework as a result and 3 of the girls applied to read English Literature at Oxbridge! So I would DEFINITELY love to organise another session, please! I know that the girls will want to attend again.'

More feedback can be viewed at: https://www.southafricanmodernism.com/schools
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021,2022,2023,2024
URL https://www.southafricanmodernism.com/schools