Abstract

This article connects theories of otherness with urban studies in order to map out interpretive routes in Lauren Beukes's fiction. The article discusses notions of identity and space, underlining how they relate to Beukes's writings. By focusing on definitions of otherness, it examines who the Other is in Beukes's novels. Moreover, by concentrating on urban dynamics, the article analyses city forms as represented in fictional works. The article also argues that Beukes's detective and science fiction novels are more than popular literature, as they maintain a balance between the entertaining function of these genres and the exploration of salient issues in the contemporary world, such as racial and gender issues, the banalisation of violence and media coverage, and, last but not least, acknowledging otherness.

摘要

本文将其他性理论与城市研究联系起来，以便勾勒出劳伦·比克斯（Lauren Beukes）小说中的解释路径。本文讨论了身份和空间的概念，强调了它们与Beukes著作之间的关系。通过关注其他性的定义，它研究了在Beukes的小说中谁是其他人。此外，通过关注城市动态，文章分析了虚构作品中所代表的城市形态。文章还指出，Beukes的侦探小说和科幻小说不只是大众文学，还因为它们在这些类型的娱乐功能和当代社会的突出问题（例如种族和性别问题），暴力和媒体报道，最后但并非最不重要的一点是承认他人。