English 9198B

Ruptures and Crossovers: Postcolonial Literature and Theory

Instructor: Professor N. Bhatia
Winter Half Course.

This course will investigate major topics in postcolonial theory - such as Orientalism, subalternity, mimicry, exile, home, community, nation, and diaspora - and assess the scope and relevance of these topics for studying literary and cultural texts from India, Africa and the Caribbean. Approached from the perspectives of race, gender, class, the readings will entail an examination of the legacies of European colonialism, the diverse geographies of migration, and the politics of English as represented in literary texts. Such an approach will necessitate an exploration of the links between what Edward Said calls “culture and imperialism” and address how literary and cultural texts speak to the ruptures, crossovers and influences that have resulted from Britain’s longstanding engagement with its colonies.

Course outline/syllabus: English 9198B. PDF download