”Detta hav av orättvisa”

Abstract

“This sea of injustice”. Motherhood and Colonialism in Sara Lidman’s Jag och min son Exploring Sara Lidman’s novel Jag och min son (1961,1963), this article delves into its nuanced intersection of motherhood and colonialism. The narrative scrutinizes Sweden’s role in the colonial system, with a particular focus on the South African apartheid regime. Through the lens of a Swedish single father navigating Johannesburg in pursuit of personal enrichment, the story highlights his strained relationship to several mother figures, unraveling complex threads that intertwine parenthood, colonial structures, and whiteness. Using the theoretical framework of motherhood studies, such as the concept of the other-mother, the analysis seeks to unveil the intricate capitalist dynamics of familial relationships within the context of international power hierarchies. These themes in Lidman’s works would only grow stronger in the years to come, and by examining Jag och min son, these early tendencies in Lidman’s writing are illuminated.