Asian English: Histories, Texts, Institutions

This collection challenges the notion that the study of Anglophone literature and literary studies in Asia is a foreign import and explores the genealogies of textual critique and institutionalized forms of teaching English language and literature in Asia through the 19th and 20th centuries. It argues that the establishment of Anglophone literature in Asia was not a spontaneous event but was influenced by extra-literary and -academic forces, inserting and domesticating English language and Anglo-American literature in Asian universities. The book offers new perspectives on the globalization of Anglophone literature and considers the practicalities of teaching both the language and its classic texts. It also highlights the historical formation and shape of English studies in Asia, which can offer lessons applicable to the humanities as a whole.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 325 pages
Publication date: 26 January 2023
Publisher: Springer Verlag, Singapore

Contesting the notion that the study of Anglophone literature and literary studies is merely a foreign import in Asia, this comprehensive collection delves into the genealogies of textual critique and institutionalized forms of teaching English language and literature in Asia throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. It also examines how its present options and potential future directions align with these historical contexts. The book argues that the establishment of Anglophone literature in Asia did not occur by chance; rather, it was shaped by extra-literary and -academic forces, which inserted and domesticated the English language and Anglo-American literature in Asian universities, along with their accompanying cultural and political values. By offering fresh perspectives on ongoing discussions surrounding the globalization of Anglophone literature in literary and cultural studies, the book also considers the practicalities of teaching both the language and its canonical texts. Moreover, it emphasizes that the historical formation and shape of English studies in Asia hold valuable lessons that extend beyond the discipline and can be applied to the humanities as a whole.

Weight: 452g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789811635151
Edition number: 1st ed. 2021