Paper short abstract:

The objective is to discuss the status of literature as a form of knowledge, seeking to investigate the boundaries between science and fiction with a view to deepen the debate about the epistemological dimension of literature.

Paper long abstract:

When analyzing the debate about African literatures, the "African"/"non-African" classification system reveals some tensions. The first one is related to the language in which these literatures are produced. In this context, unlike what occurred in the Americas, the legitimacy of the literature produced in European languages was challenged. Another tension concerns writers' origin and/or racial identity. Taking the case of Mozambique as an example, it is remarkable the scrunity of the early Writers Association of Mozambique in an attempt to define criteria for a national literature. I put forward a discussion that highlights another kind of tension, that has not been given much attention, one that establishes a separation, and likewise, a hierarchy between literature and knowledge production. The relationship between literature and knowledge (science) does not seem to be satisfactorily treated neither by the sociology of knowledge nor by the sociology of literature. For the former, the literature can be conceived as a form of knowledge, but has to preserve its "fictional nature" in contrast to scientific knowledge. For the latter, what matters is the social dimension of literature and how it can express in an exaggerated, distorted, controversial manner the reality, without being confounded with it. The argument that I put forward does not to stablish an equivalence between literature and scientific knowledge, but it seeks to explore new ways in which literature can be seen as a valid epistemology for understanding social dynamics. This procedure certainly should be exercised by the social scientist.