Call for Book Chapters

African Literature and the Resilience of Love: Indigenous Intimacies as Resistance in Historical and Global Contexts

Submission Email: africanliteratureandlovebook@gmail.com

Editor: Azzeddine Tajjiou

In an era increasingly shaped by global pressures and the commodification of human relationships, African literature offers powerful alternative narratives. This edited volume invites scholars to explore how African literary traditions, deeply rooted in diverse indigenous epistemologies, forge unique and resilient forms of love. This love, often characterized by its communal essence and life-affirming power, consistently endures and resists the profound distortions imposed by historical forces such as colonial/capitalist domination and contemporary neoliberal modernity.

Our aim is to trace the evolution of these distinctly African expressions of intimacy across precolonial, colonial, and postcolonial periods. We seek to demonstrate that in African contexts, love transcends a mere emotional state, operating instead as a vital form of resistance and an affirmation of African Being and belonging. This volume uniquely synthesizes indigenous African thought with global critiques of intimacy, offering a fresh perspective on cultural resilience.

Grounding in African Epistemologies

At the heart of this inquiry lie foundational African philosophical concepts such as Ubuntu ("I am because we are"), Sankofa (the imperative to reclaim and learn from the past), and Umoja (unity), among others from various African traditions. These ideas provide a robust framework that distinguishes African conceptualizations of intimacy from Western modernist and postmodern perspectives. While we acknowledge contemporary critiques of Eros (see: Byung Chul-Han) and its potential reduction to commodified impulses, our primary focus remains on the affirmative and generative power of African modes of loving. African literature consistently portrays love as an enduring practice that sustains community, fosters collective well-being, and actively reclaims cultural identity in the face of fragmentation.

We contend that this distinctly African mode of loving serves not only as a crucial counterpoint to global commodification but also as a transformative force in navigating ongoing social, political, and economic pressures within the continent and beyond.

Expanding the Thematic Horizon Across Historical Epochs

The proposed volume is structured into three interconnected parts, each offering rich ground for exploration across critical historical epochs:

• Part I: Precolonial African Narratives: Foundations of Communal Love: This section will explore the rich tapestry of precolonial African expressions of love. We invite analyses of oral traditions, epics (such as the Sundiata epic), ritual practices, early literary forms (like Swahili poetry or ancient Egyptian love songs), and ethnographic accounts that illuminate how love was conceived and practiced as an inherent communal force. Contributions might examine how love was interwoven with social identity, spiritual belief systems, kinship structures, and the collective memory of indigenous communities, highlighting its role in forging social cohesion and continuity, even resisting internal schisms or environmental challenges.
• Part II: Colonial Reconfigurations and Resistances of Love: The advent of colonial rule brought profound disruptions to indigenous social structures and introduced new, often individualistic and commodified, notions of intimacy. This section will explore how African writers engaged with these colonial impositions. We seek analyses of texts by authors like Chinua Achebe, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, Ousmane Sembène, and others who, despite these pressures, reasserted a vision of love as a resilient, subversive act of cultural defiance. Contributions could examine how love became a means of reclaiming African humanity, resisting specific colonial policies designed to break communal bonds (e.g., forced labor, separate development, education systems), maintaining communal integrity, and even catalyzing anti-colonial movements.
• Part III: Postcolonial and Contemporary Reimaginings: Love as Resilience in Disillusioned Times: In the complex and often disillusioning landscape of postcolonial and contemporary Africa, characterized by political instability, social upheaval, and the pervasive effects of neoliberal capitalism, how does love stand as a force of resilience? This section invites examinations of how African authors such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Abdulrazak Gurnah, and a new generation of writers explore indigenous practices of intimacy as vital alternatives to alienation and despair. Contributions might analyze how love functions as a site of collective healing, a source of faith amidst political disillusionment, a catalyst for social solidarity, or a personal anchor in psychological fragmentation. For instance, how do narratives show love resisting political apathy or the erosion of traditional values? We encourage analyses that demonstrate how these narratives foreground love as a means of collective resistance and the forging of new futures, drawing on decolonial frameworks and other critical approaches.

Theoretical Contributions and Scholarly Impact

This volume uniquely bridges African literary studies, colonial/postcolonial studies, and contemporary critiques of intimacy and community, drawing on insights from philosophy, anthropology, sociology, and cultural studies. By foregrounding indigenous African epistemologies, the book constructs a robust analytical framework that positions African literature as a vital resource. It will demonstrate that African literary traditions offer powerful counter-narratives to global commodification while also advancing transformative models of love as an active force—one that resists the erasure of cultural memory and reinforces forms of social solidarity that shape both individual and communal life.

Submission Details and Timeline

We invite abstracts of no more than 500 words, along with a brief biographical statement (150 words), from scholars working in African literature, postcolonial studies, cultural studies, sociology, anthropology, philosophy, and related fields. We particularly encourage contributions that engage with specific literary texts, oral traditions, cultural practices, and/or historical contexts to illustrate the central argument regarding indigenous intimacies as resistance in one of the three historical periods the book traces (pre-colonial, colonial, and postcolonial).

The abstract submission deadline is August 20, 2025.

• Submission of Complete Articles (for selected abstracts): September 2025
• Peer Review: October/November 2025
• Return of Reviews and Revision Period: November/December 2025
• Finalization Phase: January 2026
• Submission to Publisher: February/March 2026

All submissions will undergo a rigorous double-blind peer-review process.

Please submit your abstract and biographical statement to: africanliteratureandlovebook@gmail.com

This volume is currently generating interest from major academic publishers that would like to publish it. We eagerly anticipate your contributions that will illuminate the profound and enduring significance of love in African literary and cultural traditions as a powerful act of resilience and affirmation.