The Miriam Tlali Reading & Book Club invites the public to engage “The Poverty of Ideas, South African Democracy and the Retreat of Intellectuals” with authors Leslie Dikeni and William Gumede, 24th September 2011, African Literature Bookshop, 191 Louis Botha Avenue, and Corner 8th Street, Orange Grove, from 14H00 to 16H30.
This groundbreaking book tackles the uncomfortable and much avoided issue of the devaluation of ideas and the intellect in the public sphere in post-apartheid South Africa. In particular, it examines the intolerance of criticism and dissent and the impact this has had and continues to have on the consolidation of democracy.
Contributors include: William Gumede on building a democratic political culture; Leslie Dikeni on pseudo-intellectuals, James Matthews on poets and dissidence, Albert Nolan on the spiritual life of intellectuals and many other intellectuals.
The discussants will be the co-editors, Leslie Dikeni, a political analyst and researcher at the graduate School of Public and Development Management at the University of Witwatersrand and William Gumede, the author of The New History of South Africa and Thabo Mbeki and the Battle for the Soul of the ANC. He is also a Programme Director of the Africa Asia Centre, School of Orientation and African Studies at the London University.
The facilitator is Sandile Ngidi, one of South Africa’s leading journalists and editor of a literary journal, Baobab.
The programme will also feature the Kiddies’ and Teen’s sessions which accommodate kids aged 2-10 and teens aged 11 – 16. Thembi Mkhizwane of the Pimville Library Services will be facilitating the kiddies’ session by reading “Izinganekwane engazixoxelwa nguGogo by Lisa Grainger ” and the teen’s will be writing and performing poetry under the theme “My Language Is My Pride”, said the wRite associates.
Books will be available for sale. Entrance is free and people are encouraged to bring their kids.
“The Poverty of Ideas, South African Democracy and the Retreat of Intellectuals” can be bought at the wRite associates and leading book stores. The book price is R 180.00
To place an order and for more information, please contact the wRite associates at or 011-791 3585 or info@wRiteassociates.co.za or info@sala.org.za
Contact Information:
For inquiries: info@wRiteassociates.co.za
For submissions: info@wRiteassociates.co.za
Website: http://www.writeassociates.co.za/
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