Paper short abstract:

How do we write about everyday life in situations of violence and repression? Is there a meaningful way of conceptualising these experiences as part of an 'everyday', or does everyday inevitably signify rhythms and routines that are mundane? And what methodological and ethical challenges arise?

Paper long abstract:

The release of political prisoners from the late 1980s and the unbanning of liberation movements in 1990 gave rise to widespread hope among South Africa’s black majority that political change was imminent. However, as the end of white minority rule was in sight, collective violence escalated. The violence of the transition era has largely been explored regarding its roots and causes; the social consequences of violence, and the ways in which people responded to, participated in, and resisted violence has received less attention.

This paper has two aims: first, it traces the making and unmaking of everyday life during this period of intense conflict and violence. It asks whether and how we can meaningfully write about everyday life in situations of violence, or whether "the everyday" inevitably focuses on the mundane and the ordinary. Secondly, it considers the ethical and methodological implications. The transition to democracy in South Africa has produced vast archival collections. Tens of thousands of pages chronicle life under siege during this period. Yet despite this vastness, this archive is riddled by silences and contradictions. The paper asks what alternative sources need to be considered when writing about this period, such as drawings, music, and poetry for example.