Ingeborg Bachmann Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 40 (2016) Winner
Sharon Dodua Otoo
シャロン・ドドゥア・オトー
Sharon Dodua Otoo
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1972-01-01 （Ilford, London, England）
- Nationality
- British
- Languages
- English, German
- Residence History
- Ilford, London → Hanover (short-term, as an au pair) → Berlin (resident since 2006)
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Activist, Journalist, Editor
- Active Years
- 1997-
- Affiliations
- Initiative Schwarze Menschen in Deutschland (ISD-Bund) - board member (2010–2013), Jesus College, Cambridge (Visiting Fellow, Schroeder Writer-in-Residence 2021–2022), Regionale Arbeitsstelle Berlin (project coordinator)
- Memberships
- Initiative Schwarze Menschen in Deutschland (ISD-Bund)
- Influenced By
- Bertolt Brecht, Max Frisch, Toni Morrison, Mildred D. Taylor
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Holloway, University of London | German and Management Studies | — | BA (Hons) | 1993–1997 | United Kingdom |
Royal Holloway, University of London
German and Management Studies
Degree:
BA (Hons)
Period:
1993–1997
Year of Graduation:
1997
Country:
United Kingdom
Studied German and Management Studies
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Ingeborg Bachmann Prize | “Herr Gröttrup setzte sich hin” ("Herr Gröttrup sat down") | — | Festival of German-Language Literature (Ingeborg Bachmann Prize organizers) | winner |
Ingeborg Bachmann Prize
2016
Work:
“Herr Gröttrup setzte sich hin” ("Herr Gröttrup sat down")
Organization:
Festival of German-Language Literature (Ingeborg Bachmann Prize organizers)
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Adas Raum
2021 NovelA novel written in German incorporating Afrofuturism and magical realism, dealing with identity, migration and memory.
AfrofuturismIdentityMigrationMemory
Translations
- English translation by Jon Cho-Polizzi
the things i am thinking while smiling politely
2012 NovellaAn early novella originally written in English; later translated into German.
Irony of everyday lifeIdentity
Translations
- German translation by Mirjam Nuenning
Synchronicity
2014 NovellaAn illustrated novella written in English and translated into German.
SynchronicityRelationships
Translations
- German translation by Mirjam Nuenning
Bibliography
- Adas Raum (2021)
- the things i am thinking while smiling politely (2012)
- Synchronicity (2014)
- Numerous short stories, essays and articles (English and German)
Translations of Works
- Adas Raum — English translation by Jon Cho-Polizzi (often referred to as "Ada's Room")
- the things i am thinking while smiling politely — German translation by Mirjam Nuenning
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Poetic, sometimes fragmentary narration incorporating magical realismCynical yet empathetic engagement with political and social issues
- Recurring Motifs
- Identity and belongingMotherhood and familyMobility and crossing bordersHumor and satire
Legacy
As a British-born writer acclaimed for work in German, she has brought new perspectives to contemporary literature on migration and Black experience. Her 2016 Ingeborg Bachmann Prize brought international attention.
Quotes
-
I described myself as a 'Black British mother, activist, author and editor'. I have a British passport and London is my home, but there was still this something in the background music that said: 'You don't really belong here.'
Source: The Guardian (interview) (2016)
Trivia
- Won the Ingeborg Bachmann Prize in 2016 for the German-language short story "Herr Gröttrup setzte sich hin"
- Born and raised in Ilford, London to parents from Accra, Ghana
- Early works were written in English and many have been translated into German