Diasporic Literature and Theory: Where Now - Research Paper Example

? Transcultural and migrant writing Diasporic Literature and Theory – Where Now The main theme is diaspora utopia. Mark Shackleton counters Sell's endorsement of multiculturalism, as opposed to the asserted problems associated with postcolonial and diaspora despite supporting democratic sense of society and self. However, this does not provide an opportunity to tackle ways in which the past remains entangled in the present problems (Mark, 2008). In the essay, Mark explores histories of colonialism, race, as well as diaspora and ways in which they assist in developing a different perception of utopian vision, which he refers as progressive utopianism. Progressive utopianism is aware of the past while at the same time offers a tentative, non-idealized, and hopeful picture of diaspora ethics related to the associated practices in daily life (Bekers & Helff, 2009). Most critiques of diasporic theory focus mainly on its cultural variation and its claimed advantage of extraordinary bourgeois or cosmopolitan representations of settlement and migration (Mark, 2008). This does not require unequal material provisions. First, Mark criticizes Paul Gilroy’s work, which deals with opening a transfigurative and utopian vision of a modified world established on passionate misreading of modern multicultural chances as well as nationalistic predicaments. Paul’s work, After Empire attends to vernacular life in an effort to relaunch post nationalist way of thinking established on convivial encounters with respect to England’s main cultural environments; nightlife, music television among others. After the 11 September 2001 and its the aftermath, Paul reinforces his advocacy of anti- racial, post- national cultural politics. He claims that ethnic absolution, as well as government-sponsored patriotism is presently popular (Mark, 2008). Moreover, Paul’s work is diasporic in nature and intellectual in character with its determination and advocacy for investment in modern youth cultures. However, according to Mark, some of Paul's works are less hopeful contrary to his assertions. His commitment to post racial and post national multiculturalism restricts his ability to realize the setbacks and possibilities of diverse vernacular creativity (Davis, 2005). Paul’s models of utopian diasporic change are more idealized and wishful contrary to the appearance. However, according to Mike Skinner, racial difference is not a problem as it is unimportant compared to the hazards experienced in urban survival or to the distressed pleasures within the postcolonial city (Mark, 2008). Secondly, Mark looks at Caryl Philips work, which has a better informed, richer, sensitive and progressive utopian vision of modern realities. Philip’s writing uncovers and imagines various vital and hopeful chances, which entail an ethical order for change. For instance, when a black man in London attacks Sheila, Dorothy’s sister, she decline pressing charges against him since she considers that the Metropolitan Police may treat the attacker in a brutal manner. Moreover, a Nigerian migrant; David Oluwale is murdered and his assailants are not found as the two police officers accused of the murder are acquitted as there was no evidence (Mark, 2008). Philip counters the fans of England’s multicultural by restating that change may be a false impression than achieved. From his writing, both black and white characters, indigenous and migrant people continuously face the same problems such as hostilities. For instance, when Gabriel/ Solomon and his friend, Bright live in a derelict house, a lonely young English girl named Denise brings them food. She tells Solomon about her father’s cruelty as well as of her boyfriend. Denise’s father discovers the three and later attacks them, prosecuting Solomon for sexual assault on his daughter (Mark, 2008). Just like Solomon and Bright, Denise undergoes pain and suffering in her father’s hands and thus seeks refuge from the hostile environment. In this case, Solomon, Bright, and Denise undergo similar tribulations and thus, problems of racism, gender, and nationality are besieged by humane and ethical form of support and engagement (Mark, 2008). Therefore, Mark argues that just like Solomon learned while encountering sympathetic situations in the lives of others, man needs to acquire the precious commodity of appreciating and thus, compelled to modify his impressions about other people. From these works, Mark challenges the bluster and narrowness of Sell’s rejection of diaspora and postcolonial thought developed by his affectionate involvement with gleeful instability of the multicultural. Afro – European Literature(s): A New Discursive Category The main theme is Afro – European literature. The essay tries to establish the differences and similarities in the production of Afrosporic literature within various European perspectives. Moreover, it suggests that comparative viewpoint within synchronic and diachronic levels is necessary for proper indulgent of new literary designs over national and linguistic boundaries (Sabrina, 2008). The article looks at the Afro – Europe in terms of the contributions of African people in modifying European culture and thought. Many works done by people of African origin have received praise due to their unchallenged quality, for instance works like White Teeth by Zadie Smith, Brick Lane, written by Monica Ali (Sabrina, 2008). However, there are some works which portray or reinforce negative stereotype about immigrants especially people with African origin. Paul Gilroy’s recent publication, Postcolonial Melancholia, gives an account of modern racist attitudes in the aftermath of the September 11th attack. There is a collection for instance, White Black, White British, which deals with authors of mixed, or with African descent who are born or raised within Britain. Furthermore, Afro – European literature works not produced in international languages such as French and English tend not to reach many people unlike those produced in international languages (Sabrina, 2008). In some European countries, Afro- European works are discriminated against, for instance in Spain where such works are deprived of the entrance to Spanish literature circles. Southern European nations remain with a discriminating form of colonial amnesia thus, their behavior to afro – European literature. Some of the Afro – European writers have published books written in languages different from that of their resident or the country of origin of their parents or ancestors (Sabrina, 2008). However, some writers concentrate on migratory issues. The afro – European literature developed in different countries and at varied times record different shapes in relation to their context. Therefore, a comparison between such works seems problematic. The Location of Literature: The Transnational Book and the Migrant Writer The main theme is migration and literature. This work tries to analyze the rationale of producing literature about a person, feature, and event or object while in the real sense, the producer is not in physical contact with the issue or place or person (Rebecca, 2006). It emphasizes on three translation books on cultural and linguistic as well as analysis of the mobility of the tropes. Vera Eliassova writes the first essay. She notices Iva Pekarkova’s work known as Gimme the Money. The novel discusses a woman who operates as a driver in the city Pekarkova worked on her story while residing in U.S. despite being a Czech national. Eliassova reveals Pekarkova’s work, as an art that theorizes own cultural mobility; it outlines the migration as a globular movement just like in the route of a taxi rather than a solitary journey (Lindberg-Wada, 2006). Moreover, she suggests that the work has multidimensional mobility since it operates in various literary genres. According to Eliassova, the combination of traditions and genres within her works makes it difficult to categorize them under novels in national geography since she writes the novel Gimme the Money as a Czech emigrant in New York but presently resides in London (Rebecca, 2006). In addition, George Lamming established modern Caribbean novel while residing in London. Lamming’s work, themes and origin assists in explaining the difficulty and its connection to contemporary precursors. Therefore, readers must view Lamming in both the perspective of British literary history and Caribbean history. Finally, it is Alistair Cormack’s examination of Monica Ali’s epic, Brick Lane. It seeks to know whether migration has a suitable literary form as well as whether it alters realistic fiction. According to Cormack, the fight with subjectivity and language at the core of several immigrant works or novels does not augur well with pragmatism prominence on individual agency (Rebecca, 2006). Moreover, scenes of translation within the novel increase concentration to the seamless narration movement involving Bengali and English. Therefore, experience of migration presented in the form of a fiction modifies the manner that mimetic genes operate. References Bekers, E., & Helff, S. (2009). Transcultural modernities: Narrating Africa in Europe. Amsterdam. Davis, G. V. (2005). Towards a transcultural future: Literature and society in a "Post"-Colonial World. Amsterdam. Lindberg-Wada, G. (2006). Studying transcultural literary history. Berlin: de Gruyter. Mark S. (2008). Diasporic Literature and Theory – Where Now? Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. Rebecca .L. W. (2006). The Location of Literature: The Transnational Book and the Migrant Writer. Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin. Sabrina B. (2008). Afro – European Literature(s) : A New Discursive Category ? Research in African Literatures, Volume 39, Number 3, pp.1-13. Read More