World LiteratureDeborah E. Lucas

• This presentation provides a postcolonial, transnational, and multicultural perspective of the world through literary exploration of fiction and theory. In this class we will explore literature from British, African, Indian, South African, Latin American, Middle Eastern, Sami, and Caribbean works.

• Topics Explored:−Colonialism Imperialism−Neo-imperialism Postcolonialism−Multiculturalism Globalization−Canonization Colonial literature−Diaspora Orientalism

Fundamentals

Purpose• In order to understand World

Literature readers must understand the context of the literature.

• Different types (genres) of writing are produced around the world and include the following:−Poetry−Fables−Short Stories−Novels−Biographies

Defining Colonialism• The imperialist expansion of Europe into the

rest of the world during the last four hundred years in which a dominant imperium or center carried on a relationship of control and influence over its margins or colonies.

• This relationship tended to extend to social, pedagogical, economic, political, and broadly culturally exchanges often with a hierarchical European settler class and local, educated elite class forming layers between the European "mother" nation and the various indigenous peoples who were controlled.

Defining Imperialism• A policy of extending a country’s

power and influence through diplomacy or military force

• Advocacy of imperial or sovereign interests over the interests of the dependent states.

Defining Neo-Imperialism• The policy of extending authority of

an empire or nation over foreign countries or acquiring and holding dependencies or colonies.

• The main goal of imperialism today is to ensure that the former imperial states maintain economic dominance over their former colonies.

Defining Post Colonialism• A study of the effects of colonialism on

cultures and societies. • It is concerned with both how European

nations conquered and controlled "Third World" cultures and how these groups have since responded to and resisted those encroachments.

• Three stages of Post Colonialism: −An initial awareness of the social, psychological,

and cultural inferiority enforced by being in a colonized state

−The struggle for ethnic, cultural, and political autonomy

−A growing awareness of cultural overlap and hybridity

Defining Multi-CulturalismA body of thought in political philosophy about the proper way to respond to cultural and religious diversity. The co-existence of diverse cultures, where culture includes racial, religious, or cultural groupsand is manifested in customary behaviors, cultural assumptions and values, patterns of thinking, and communicative styles.

Defining Globalism• A national policy of

treating the whole world as a proper sphere for political influence.

Defining Canonization• A group of literary works that are considered the most

important of a particular time period or place.

• In multicultural literature, the scope of work that falls within the definition of multicultural literature is constantly evolving.

• The canon applies validity or authority to a work of literature. When a work is entered into the canon it gains status as an official inclusion into a group of literary works that are widely studied and respected.

• There is no standard qualification for canonization because of the broad disparity among literary scholars and their opinions regarding the value and importance of a given work.

Defining Colonial Literature• Colonial Literature is the literature

written by and about those who have experienced the colonial experience.

• In world-wide literature, this colonialism is primarily a direct result of British colonialism around the world.

Defining Diaspora• The voluntary or enforced migration

of peoples from their native homelands. 

• The literature of the diaspora is often concerned with questions of maintaining or altering identity, language, and culture while  in another culture or country.

Defining Orientalism• The process (from the late

eighteenth century to the present) by which "the Orient" was constructed as an exotic other by European studies and culture.

• Orientalism is not so much a true study of other cultures as it is broad Western generalization about Oriental, Islamic, and/or Asian cultures that tends to erode and ignore their substantial differences.