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Spring 2002 |
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English 406 |
Rice 128/ Phone 775-8571 |
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Tu, 7:00-9:30 pm, Rice 117 |
Office hours: TuTh, 1:30-3:00 |
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e-mail: Anuradha.Needham@oberlin.edu |
& by appt. |
In this seminar, we will
examine a range of theoretical/critical positions and analyses that are often
mustered under the rubric of postcolonial theory and practice. Specifically, we will focus at some length
on those that define and address the projects of postcolonial theory critically
and/or self-reflexively. We will
also examine the place of post-structuralist theory in postcolonial theory
and practice. At all times, our
discussion will attend not only to the subjects (and content) but also the
rhetoric of these positions and analyses—how they say what they say,
to what ends, with what audiences in mind as well as how their writers position
themselves vis-à-vis their subjects, and, finally, what are the bases
for their authority. (Since this seminar is being offered during a semester when
I have helped organize an international conference on the subject of secularism
in India, at least a couple of the meetings will be devoted to the readings
for the three plenaries for this conference to prepare you for your informed
participation in the conference.)
Most of the readings for
this course are available on ERES. In
addition, we will read the following texts, which you can purchase from the
Barnes and Noble bookstore.
Gayatri Chakraborty Spivak, Outside in the Teaching Machine (required).-----. A Critique of Postcolonial Reason (recommended).J.M. Coetzee, Foe (required)
I have organized the readings
in the order in which we will read them and into units that overlap with each
other, but which can also be differentiated on the bases of their primary
focus and interests. Within each
unit moreover each essay has its own take on a give issue or set of issues,
but is also in conversation—explicitly or implicitly—with one
or more essays within the unit. Or
at least that’s how it seems to me. So, it goes without saying that this is not the only way in
which to organize these readings; in fact the organization can itself be a
matter for discussion during the course.
| I. | Macaulay, “Minute,” wa Thiong’o
“Abolition,” Spivak, “Burden” and “Politics
of Translation,” Viswanathan, “Currying Favor.” |
| II. | Said, “Introduction”
(Orientalism), Menon,
“Orientalism and After,” Fanon, “Fact of Blackness,”
Hall “The After-life of Frantz Fanon,” Chakrabarty, “Postcoloniality
and the Artifice of History,”Chow, “Where Have All the Natives
Gone?” Bhabha, “Signs” and “Commitment.” |
| III. | Jameson, “Third
World Literature in the Age of Multinational Capitalism,”Ahmad,
“Jameson’s Rhetoric of Otherness,” Prasad, “On
the Question of a Theory of (Third) World Literature,” Schwarz,
“Provocation Toward a Theory of Third World Literature.” |
| IV. | Said, “Intellectuals
in the Postcolonial World” and “Postcolonial Intellectuals
and Metropolitan Culture,” Dirlik, “Postcolonial Aura,”
SunderRajan, “Third World Academic in Other Places.” |
| V. | Ahmad, “Politics
of Literary Postcoloniality,” Spivak, “Marginality in the
Teaching Machine,” Sheshadri-Crooks, “On the Margins of Postcolonial
Studies,” Radhakrishnan, “Postcoloniality and the Boundaries
of Identity.” |
| VI. | Hall, “Cultural
Identity and Diaspora,” Frankenburg and Mani, “Cross-currents,
Cross Talk,” Spivak, “In a Word.” |
| VII. | Spivak, “Can the
Subaltern Speak?” “Chakrabarty, “Minority Histories,
Subaltern Pasts,” Mohanty, “Us and Them,” Alcoff, “The
Problem of Speaking for Others.” |
| VIII. | Readings for the Siting
Secularism conference plenary
sessions. |
| IX. | Parry, “Problems
in Current Theories of Colonial Discourse” and “Resistance
Theory/Theorizing Resistance,” Loomba, “Overworlding the Third
World.” |
| X. | Brennan, “Cosmopolitans
and Celebrities,” Robbins, “Comparative Cosmopolitanism,”
Sangari, “Politics of the Possible.” |
| XI. | Coetzee, Foe, and Spivak, “Literature,” A Critique
of Postcolonial Reason. |
Since this is a discussion-centered
course, it is imperative that you keep up with the reading and attend class
regularly.
You will write short 2-3 page critical
responses for each unit (you may comment on one or more of the essays within
each unit or you may write on a specific issue that one or more of the essays
addresses. If done thoughtfully
and carefully, these responses could well become building blocks for the papers
(or paper) you will write for the seminar.
You
may write one (25 page for 50%) or two (10-12 page for 25% each) papers for
this seminar, with the former due at the end of the semester and the latter
due before spring break and at the end of the semester. Each paper should engage lucidly and thoughtfully with a subject/issue/problem
of your choice, the evidence for which will derive from the readings, but
need not be restricted to them. The paper should be framed as an argument, its claims carefully
defined and elucidated. Finally,
it should reflect critically on its argument and chosen method (or methods)
of analyses. I will be happy
to discuss your topics with you, point out resources other than those we will
already be consulting, and read your first draft.
Aijaz Ahmad, “Jameson’s Rhetoric of Otherness and the ‘National Allegory.’” (Eres)-----, “ThePolitics of Literary Postcoloniality.” (Eres)
Linda Alcoff, “The Problem of Speaking for Others.” (Eres)
Homi Bhabha, “Signs Taken for Wonders.” (Eres)-----. “The Commitment to Theory.” (Eres)
Timothy Brennan, “Cosmopolitans and Celebrities.” (Eres)
Dipesh Chakrabarty, “Postcoloniality and the Artifice of History: Who Speaks for Indian Pasts?” (Eres)-----, “Minority Histories, Subaltern Pasts.” (Eres)
Rey Chow, “Where have all the Natives Gone?” (Eres)
Arif Dirlik, “The Postcolonial Aura: Third World Criticism in the Age of Global Capitalism.” (Eres)
Frantz Fanon, “The Fact of Blackness,” Black Skin, White Masks. (Eres)
Ruth Frankenberg and Lata Mani, “Crosscurrents, Crosstalk: Race, ‘Postcoloniality’ and the Politics of Location.” (Eres)
Stuart Hall, “Cultural Identity and Diaspora.” (Eres)-----, “The After-life of Frantz Fanon: Why Fanon? Why Now? Why Black Skin, White Masks?” (Eres)
Frederic Jameson, “Third World Literature in the Era of Multinational Capitalism.” (Eres)
Ania Loomba, “Overworlding the Third World.” (Eres)
Thomas Macaulay, “Minute on Indian Education.” (Eres)
Nivedita Menon, “Orientalism and After.” (Eres)
S.P. Mohanty, “Us and Them: On the Philosophical Bases of Political Criticism.” (Eres)
Benita Parry, “Problems in Current Theories of Colonial Discourse.” (Eres)-----. “Resistance Theory/Theorizing Resistance, or Two Cheers for Nativism.” (Eres)
Madhav Prasad, “On the Question of a Theory of (Third) World Literature.” (Eres)R. Radhakrishnan, “Postcoloniality and the Boundaries of Identity.” (Eres)
Bruce Robbins, “Comparative Cosmopolitanism.” (Eres)
Edward W. Said, “Introduction,” Orientalism. (Eres)-----, “Intellectuals in the Postcolonial World.” (Eres)-----, Postcolonial Intellectuals and Metropolitan Culture.” (Eres)
KumKum Sangari, “The Politics of the Possible.” (Eres)
Henry Schwarz, “Provocations Toward a Theory of Third World Literature.” (Eres)
Kalpana Sheshadri-Crooks, “At the Margins of Postcolonial Studies.” (Eres)
Ella Shohat, “Notes on the Postcolonial.” (Eres)
Stephen Slemon, “The Scramble for Post-colonialism.” (Eres)
Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty. “In a Word: Interview.” Outside in the Teaching Machine,-----, “Marginality in the Teaching Machine.” Outside.-----, “The Politics of Translation.” Outside in the Teaching Machine-----, “Reading The Satanic Verses.” Outside.-----, “The Burden of English.” (Eres)-----, “Can the Subaltern Speak?” (Eres)
Rajeswari SunderRajan, “The Third World Academic in Other Places; or; Postcolonial Intellectual Revisited.” (Eres)
Ngugi wa Thiong’o, “On the Abolition of the English Department.” (Eres)
GauriViswanathan, “Currying Favor: The Politics of British Educational and Cultural Policy in India, 1813-54.” (Eres)