Global Literature and Postcolonialism

In this subject, students learn how colonisation, decolonisation and large-scale migration have shaped literary traditions from the late nineteenth century to the present, including the canon of English Literature, and how writers from different parts of world have responded to the challenges wrought by globalisation and new forms of imperialism. They also learn why some works become global in terms of their readerships and their circulation and why others remain tied to nations and/or regions, and what is gained and lost when literary works go out into the wider world, or are read in translation.

• 1Analyse the impact of colonisation, decolonisation, and large-scale migration on literary traditions from the late nineteenth century to the present.
• 2Evaluate the social, political, and cultural forces that have shaped colonial, postcolonial, and diasporic writing since the late 19th century.
• 3Compare and contrast the subject matter, styles, and narrative conventions used by colonial, postcolonial, and diasporic writers in addressing historical and contemporary social and moral issues.
• 4Critique key concepts and critical insights of major postcolonial theorists and their relevance to global literature.
• 5Examine the factors that contribute to the global circulation and reception of literary works, including the implications of translation and cross-cultural interpretation.
• 6Apply postcolonial theoretical frameworks to interpret and discuss literary texts within their historical and cultural contexts.