Rebel With a Cause is an activist press publishing quality literature from all over the world, not least the so-called Global South. Rebel publishes books that change the way we read the world, literally, thus creating a platform for voices that are often underrepresented on the literary stage.
Like James Baldwin said:
“The world changes according to the way people see it, and if you alter, even but a millimetre the way people look at reality, then you can change it.”
The books we publish are from many different countries, (re)presenting varied perspectives, and combined, they create a nuanced narrative that generates cracks in our otherwise Western and Eurocentric self-understanding, which then helps expand our understanding of the world. Rebel wishes to be co-creator of a ‘new archive’, and our aim is not merely to find the next bestseller (which we wouldn’t mind, obviously), but to simply make sure that the stories are available in the world.
The themes in Rebel books speak to our current times’ most important challenges, including racism, gender, sexism, sexuality, equality, patriarchal structures, who has the right to History, the state of our democracy and much more, but they are also ‘simply’ about being a human being in an increasingly globalized world. Because, we believe that in many ways, we have much more in common that we may be aware of. Grief is grief, love is love, regardless of where in the world you were born, the colour of your skin, the gender you (don’t) identify with.
Rebel believes in the ability of literature in all its many guises and regardless of genre to awaken our curiosity and create the foundation for understanding and recognisability across geographic, cultural and socio-economic divides.
When we read we grow wiser, even if we don’t always agree.
“If there is a book you want to read and you can’t find it, write it.” Sarah Ladipo Manyika paraphrasing Toni Morrison
Literature has always been my personal safe haven and my entry into the world. Non-fiction provides me with analyses and sources, while fiction puts everything into a human perspective.
Jeg look forward to sharing stories from the whole wide world with you.
For further information please contact us at mail@rebelwithacause.dk
Iben H. Philipsen
Founder, editor and translator