Granta is among the most influential English-language literary journals of the past half-century. Revived in its current form in 1979 by Bill Buford as a Cambridge student magazine turned global literary quarterly, it pioneered what became known as the "new journalism" — long-form narrative nonfiction, fiction, photography, and memoir brought together under thematic issues that became cultural events in themselves.
For African writers and readers, Granta has held particular significance. The journal's periodic issues dedicated to Africa and its diaspora — including "Africa" (Issue 48, 1994) and subsequent themed volumes — introduced writers including Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, NoViolet Bulawayo, and Teju Cole to international readership, and served as a site of ongoing dialogue about how African writers were framed for global audiences.
Our 110-issue collection spans the journal's full modern run and will serve as an invaluable resource for students of contemporary world literature, journalism, and the politics of literary representation — a window into how Africa has been seen, and how African writers have seen themselves.