From Commonwealth to Postcolonial Literature
Abstract
In his paper,"From Commonwealth to Postcolonial Literature," Edward O.Ako begins by establishing the link between Empire and English-language literature. Drawing on Elleke Boehmer, Gauri Viswanath, and Terry Eagleton, Ako discusses the ideological uses of literature and argues that the textual forms that emerged as "resistance" to imperial domination were referred to by a multiplicity of terms: Commonwealth Literature, New English Literature, Literature in English, Third World Literature, World Fiction, Minority Literature, Multicultural Literature, or Postcolonial Literature. Ako examines the merits and handicaps of each designation and explains why, in his view, the term "postcolonial" is the more appropriate notion and designation.
Recommended Citation
Ako, Edward O.. "From Commonwealth to Postcolonial Literature." CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 6.2 (2004): http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/clcweb/vol6/iss2/1
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