European
Contents
European
As a general term
Used as a noun it is a broad and general term that techically refers to all people born and living in Europe (excepting Britain in some cases).
Use in South Africa
In South Africa though it became a racist classification under the British, and became a legalised term under Apartheid-legislation, to refer to all white people (as they were later referred to), in contrast to "Non-Europeans" (i.e. all the non-whites, i.e. black, coloured/brown and indian/asians)(See further Apartheid)
As an adjective(as in “European drama”, “European conventions”etc) it would refer to the various products of the Europeans. The term Eurocentric is derived from this.
Eurocentric
As a general term
A term coined in the post-colonial period to refer to items and ideas with hegemonic power that derive from colonial Europe (and this includes Britain, often also the USA). Mostly used prejoratively (in contrast to African or Afrocentric)on the African continent, and specifically also in South Africa.
In the arts
In the arts this has been used (often in contrast to Afrocentric), to argue for the recognition of indigenous art forms, aesthetic principles, and artists, and to reject the hegemony of imported, imposed and ultimately even seductive European models in the arts. Part of a disturbing, even acrimonious, “either/or” debate about arts and arts funding (as well as SABC air-time, festival exposure and so on) which raged in the 1990’s, as part of the transformation process in South Africa. By the end of the century a more accomodating and inclusive “and/and” position had been reached (in theory at least).
Return to South African Theatre Terminology and Thematic Entries
Return to Main Page
