Literary value does “respond to changing historical conditions” and with free trade agreements which established the flow of goods, culture, and communication across borders, the flow of literatures across continents has caused English studies in the U.S. and U.K. to swerve away from literatures with England and the US at the center toward literatures in English from across the world. We will examine written and visual texts by postcolonial writers and film makers to explore the meanings of colonialism, postcolonialism and globalization. Starting with the historical background and moving toward main themes and theories of postcolonial literary studies, the experience will no doubt be a process of learning, unlearning and relearning. As Michael Ondaatje says: “Trust me, this will take time but there is order here, very faint, very human.”

Required Texts

Rohinton Mistry. A Fine Balance. 2001
Shashi Tharoor. Riot: A Love Story. 2002.
Shyam Selvadurai. Funny Boy. 1997.
Khushwant Singh.Train to Pakistan
Mahasweta Devi. Imaginary Maps
Leela Gandhi. Postcolonial Theory

Films

Father, Son and Holy War. Anand Patwardhan. 1994.
Earth. Deepa Mehta.