'n Polisistemiese ondersoek na veranderinge in die Afrikaanse kinderliteratuur-sisteem sedert 1990

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Afrikaans children's literature has long been neglected in the Afrikaans literary polysystem and has been considered inferior by numerous figures, especially litterateurs. The negative effect of this attitude has been a shortage of academic studies on Afrikaans children's literature, the marginalised position of the genre in the Afrikaans literary canon and the absence of a general literary definition of children's literature. The 1990's see the dawn of a new democratic era in South Africa and a subsequent revival of the system of Afrikaans children's literature. However, despite this revival and growth, there is still a shortage of dedicated research into this genre.This thesis details the changes in the children's literature system that has occurred since 1990, by way of a polysystemic approach. The polysystem theory, as developed by Itamar-Even Zohar, serves as foundation for this study. Questions around genres, subgenres and problems surrounding the umbrella term youth literature are addressed. The age group of the readers of children's book are defined and a general definition of the children's literature genre is formulated. Based on this definition, ten academic studies since 1990, all of which are devoted specifically to children's literature, are identified and discussed. A historical overview of the development of Afrikaans children's literature is presented to support the choice of 1990 in the scope of the literature review.It is shown that the events that lead to the changes since 1990 are generally attributable to the political changes in South Africa that lead to the first democratic election in 1994. These changes in the different social and political systems are related to the changes in the children's literature system. It is further shown that these changes are reflected in the children's book itself, and are discussed in terms of the clear trends that emerge in children's literature and children's books since 1990. These trends are illustrated by an examination of six relevant publications. A literary definition of the term children's literature is presented.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University