Examines the dynamic literatures of the world beyond the old centres of Europe and the United States. Post-colonial writers have had to struggle, in the aftermath of nineteenth-century colonial domination, to forge new senses of place, nation, identity and even new hybrid forms and languages in which to express this consciousness. The results are sometimes startling, even shocking, in their confrontation of old orders of thought, representation and writing.
We will study writing from Africa, the Indian sub-continent, the Caribbean, Canada, Australia, and the South Pacific, as well as a selection of films that emerge from the post-colonial consciousness. The unit is designed for students with a strong interest in literature, but will also be relevant for students with a sound background in Australian history or post-colonial politics.
