Journeying through South African Literary Dystopias, from Segregation to Apartheid and Beyond

This PhD thesis investigates the hallmarks and evolution of the dystopian literary genre in South Africa within the historical contexts of segregation (1910–1948) and apartheid (1948–1994). Particular attention is paid to the relationship between the selected works and Western utopian/dystopian paradigms. This study actively places South African literary dystopias within a transnational, global context, situating them alongside the archetypal text of the utopian genre: Thomas More’s Utopia. Building on these premises, it traces the gradual acquisition of an anti-colonial orientation by South African dystopian literature, identifying three key phases: assimilation, rejection and appropriation. It illustrates how these works progressively evolve from ethnocentric, colonially influenced cautionary tales to assuming the traits of alternative narratives that reimagine utopian/dystopian visions from a postcolonial standpoint. Ultimately, this trajectory leads to the emergence of a “postcolonial” utopian perspective in which the bleakness of dystopian narratives leaves room for a glimmer of hope. It thus opens the way for new scenarios in which revolution, change and emancipation become real possibilities.