Postcolonial Literature

This course explores competing versions of cosmopolitan and nationalitarian identity through a survey of important works by writers from nearby emerging economies (Malaysia and the Philippines). Among other matters, existential issues raised by urbanisation and industrial development will be addressed. The search for an idiom and imagery appropriate to a Southeast Asian locale, the challenge posed by primordialism, the issue of alternative modernities and the need to fashion a usable past from disparate material are other topics handled by the course. Students will be encouraged to formulate a first-cut analysis of where they place themselves with regards to these questions and concerns.