Date: Sat, 6 Feb 1999 17:44:21 -0500 (EST) From: Sharmila Mukherjee <sm396-AT-is7.nyu.edu> Subject: Re: Some More I don't think it's a question of "defending" the need to teach poco lit in Western academia. That kind of tone smacks a little bit of arrogance and polemicism. The idea is to open up a rational inquiry into this area of academic interest. If you read histories of literature you'll find that even an intellectual as "maligned" (by posterity I suppose) as Matthew Arnold has accused Western culture and literary tastes of being "provincial" and "exclusive". I don't think poco people are the pioneers in this respect, though their intent is more overtly political (justifiedly so). I think it's really important to have this debate going: the nature and function of poco studies in American academia. On Sat, 6 Feb 1999, Nel Khan wrote: > Amongst the many reasons that Postcolonial literature should be taught > in Western academies, an important one is to introduce Eastern/"Third > World" system of representation, history, ideology etc. to the people > here. In a way this would be done by the same token that the British > tried to introduce English literature amongst the colonized (in order to > educate them in their own ways of the world, and not lose touch with > their home culture and heritage while in a foreign land.) Considering > the latest trend of migration from the previously colonized countries, > isn't it only natural that the Western world gets paid back in some of > its own coins? and as far as teaching postcolonial literature at the > earstwhile colonies is concerned, I wish to say that one can never get > enough education in one's own past history, and ever changing current > socio-political status. > In addition, do we need to justify teaching, for instance, Romanticism, > or Victorian literature, or Modern literature for that matter? Then why > should we feel the need to defend teaching postcolonial lit.? > > Cheers!!! > Carl and Nell. > > > --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu --- > --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
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