The Aesthetic Cold War: Decolonization and Global Literature

Peter Kalliney's book, "The Aesthetic Cold War," explores how rival states used cultural diplomacy and the political police to influence writers in the decolonizing world. In response, many writers from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean created a vibrant conceptual space of aesthetic nonalignment. However, international spy networks subjected these writers to surveillance and intimidation, and they suffered travel restrictions, deportations, imprisonment, and even death at the hands of government agents. Despite cold war pressures, superpower competition allowed savvy writers to accept patronage without pledging loyalty to specific political blocs, and they exploited rivalries and the emerging discourse of human rights to contest the attentions of the political police.

Format: Hardback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 04 October 2022
Publisher: Princeton University Press

How decolonization and the cold war influenced literature from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean:

Decolonization and the Cold War had a profound impact on literature from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. The emergence of new nations and the struggle for independence brought about a wave of political and social change that was reflected in the literature of the region.

Superpower competition and the Cold War played a significant role in shaping literature from these regions. The United States and the Soviet Union competed for influence and control over the developing world, and their rivalry was reflected in the cultural policies of their respective governments.

The United States funded international conferences, arts centers, book and magazine publishing, literary prizes, and radio programming to court writers from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. This funding helped to promote the development of literature in these regions and to provide a platform for writers to express their views and ideas.

However, the Cold War also brought about surveillance and intimidation of writers from the global south. International spy networks tracked the movements of writers, tapped their phones, read their mail, and censored or banned their work. Writers from the global south also suffered travel restrictions, deportations, imprisonment, and even death at the hands of government agents.

Despite these challenges, writers from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean carved out a vibrant conceptual space of aesthetic nonalignment. They imagined a different and freer future for their work and used their literature to contest the dominant ideologies of the Cold War.

Some of the most notable writers from these regions include Chinua Achebe, Mulk Raj Anand, Eileen Chang, C.L.R. James, Alex La Guma, Doris Lessing, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, and Wole Soyinka. These writers used their literature to explore the complexities of colonialism, nationalism, and the struggle for independence.

They also used their literature to challenge the dominant ideologies of the Cold War, such as capitalism and communism. Achebe's novel "Things Fall Apart" is a classic example of this, as it explores the impact of colonialism on African culture and society.

Anand's novel "The Novels of Mulk Raj Anand" is another example of this, as it explores the complexities of Indian society and the struggle for independence.

Chang's novel "The Joy Luck Club" is a powerful exploration of the experiences of Chinese immigrants in America and their struggle to adapt to a new culture.

James's novel "The Black Jacobins" is a seminal work of historical fiction that explores the role of the Haitian Revolution in the struggle for independence from colonialism.

La Guma's novel "The House of the Spirits" is a magical realism masterpiece that explores the complexities of Chilean society and the legacy of colonialism.

Lessing's novel "The Golden Notebook" is a powerful exploration of the experiences of a woman living in post-World War II Europe and her struggle to find meaning and purpose in her life.

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o's novel "Weep Not, Child" is a powerful exploration of the experiences of a woman living in post-colonial Kenya and her struggle to find a place for herself in a society that is dominated by men.

Soyinka's play "Death and the King's Horseman" is a powerful exploration of the experiences of a man living in post-colonial Nigeria and his struggle to find a place for himself in a society that is dominated by colonialism and corruption.

In conclusion, decolonization and the cold war had a profound impact on literature from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. The emergence of new nations and the struggle for independence brought about a wave of political and social change that was reflected in the literature of the region. Superpower competition and the Cold War played a significant role in shaping literature from these regions, but writers from the global south were able to use their literature to challenge the dominant ideologies of the Cold War and to imagine a different and freer future for their work.

Weight: 674g
Dimension: 165 x 243 x 35 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691230634