Literature and Race in the Democracy of Goods: Reading Contemporary Black and Asian North American Poetry

This book explores the role of literature in shaping contemporary understandings of race and capitalism in North America by examining the work of post-1960 Asian American, Asian Canadian, and Black experimental poets. It argues that these writers redefine race as a changing and politically contested form of constraint and possibility shaped by economic history and capitalist globalization.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 232 pages
Publication date: 19 October 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

This book delves into the examination of three distinct literary traditions: post-1960 Asian American, Asian Canadian, and Black experimental poetry. By doing so, it offers a fresh perspective on contemporary scholarly accounts of post-war North American comparative racial group formation. Through the lens of these poetic works, the book demonstrates how poetry investigates and explores contemporary Black-Asian relations, shedding light on the intricate co-constitution of race and capitalism at various spatial scales.

In-depth close readings of contemporary Black, Asian American, and Asian Canadian experimental poets, including Myung Mi Kim, Erica Hunt, Larissa Lai, and Ed Roberson, are provided in the book. These writers challenge traditional notions of race by redefining it as a fluid and politically contested construct, deeply influenced by economic history and capitalist globalization. The book argues that these poets powerfully redefine race as a constraint and possibility, shaping it by the forces of economic development and global interconnectedness.

This study not only contributes to the understanding of contemporary US poetry and poetics but also reimagines critical race and ethnic studies, racial capitalism, and contemporary theories of comparative and relational racialization. By exploring the intersections of race, capitalism, and poetry, the book offers a rich and nuanced exploration of the social and cultural dynamics of our times. It provides valuable insights into the ways in which literature and artistic expression can challenge and reshape our perceptions of race and identity.

Overall, this book is a groundbreaking contribution to the field of literary studies, offering a fresh and innovative approach to understanding the complex dynamics of race and identity in the contemporary world. It will be of interest to scholars, students, and anyone passionate about exploring the intersections of culture, politics, and social justice.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350278806