JIAS wishes to congratulate Zukiswa Wanner, the 2018 JIAS Writing Fellow, on winning the 2020 Goethe Medal.
The Goethe Medals are conferred by the Goethe Institute on behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany. They are awarded every year to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to international cultural exchange.
In conferring the honour to Zukiswa, the Goethe Institute said the following: “Her conception of herself as an African writer leads her to range far beyond national frontiers in her writing, whilst at the same time bringing the diversity of African culture into her artistic work. Her detailed knowledge of South African literature and her nuanced understanding of regional discourses and female identity in Africa means her expertise is internationally sought after; she is also a role model for an entire generation of African writers.”
