Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 11:20:25 -0500
From: Lou Caton <lcaton-AT-wisdom.wsc.ma.edu>
Subject: PLC: course on contemporary cosmopolitan literature




Dear List,

I'm currently organizing a course for spring 03 on contemporary world
literature more or less devoted to cosmopolitan themes.  I'm thinking of
folks like Haruki Murakami, Amos Oz, and Salman Rushdie who tend to see
globalization as erasing conventional notions of cultural boundaries.
Or perhaps the satiric mixture of commentaries on past and present
cultural philosophies in Ishmael Reed's Mumbo Jumbo might qualify as an
overarching cosmopolitan survey (?).  But do list members feel
comfortable placing such writers under the category of cosmopolitans?
And who are the poets, essayists, short story writers, and others who
might qualify even more for a voice in a course like this?

I envision it as the flip side of post-colonialism:  instead of
concentrating on the coercive disruption of native identities, this
course would show the joys (and problems) associated with consciously
losing a native identity.

Additionally, is there a work or two considered to be a "classic"
cosmopolitan text?  Is there an UR text for literary cosmopolitanism?  I
would be willing to include an older work if it defined the opening
literary expectations for the course.

Anybody ever teach a course like this?  Any suggestions for resources,
web or otherwise, would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks!  You can also reach me off-list at
lcaton-AT-wisdom.wsc.ma.edu.

Lou Caton
Westfield State College

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