Introduction to the Postcolonial Tradition

A study of the foundational literary texts from the decolonizing world, the class introduces the student to the politics, motifs, and aesthetics of postcolonial writing. It foregrounds postcolonial texts from the Philippines, as well as those from the Filipino diaspora, and explores them in relation to other postcolonial traditions in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Approaching literary studies from a postcolonial perspective, the class encourages the appreciation of a situated yet comparative knowledge.

Learning Outcomes

1. Write an essay that draws on a range of critical concepts;
2. Produce a creative output on a key author; and
3. Write a short intellectual biography of a key figure.

Topics

• Foundational literary texts from the postcolonies, particularly the Philippines;
• Key critical works by postcolonial intellectuals from Frantz Fanon to Vijay Prashad;
• Historical movements from Bandung Conference to Arab Spring.

Sample Syllabi and Modules

Back to Core Courses