Postcolonial Literatures in English have become a central field of
research and study all over the world. This series of introductory
readers covers (1) South Asian Literatures, (2) Australian, New
Zealand and Pacific Literatures, (3) African Literatures, (4)
Canadian Literatures, (5) Caribbean Literatures and (6) Black and
Asian British Literatures. The edited collections of source
materials are designed to help students and teachers in exploring
the diversity of the global cultural networks which have arisen
from the British Empire and Commonwealth. Each volume contains an
introduction that sketches out major trends and developments in the
region and provides recommendations for further reading. The
specificities of each respective region are explored within a
framework focussing on histories, identities, language, education,
movements and genres, as well as transcultural perspectives.
In this way, the first volume outlines 'South Asia,' a
territorial concept that includes, above all, India, Pakistan,
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The diversity of climate, landscape,
fauna and flora that characterizes this area is reflected in the
ethnic, social, religious and linguistic pluralities practiced by
its people. A South Asian identity is therefore at best a vague
external construct. Taking account of such difficulties, our
introduction provides a critical insight into this intriguing area
through a reading of its anglophone cultural debates and
controversies.
Gerhard Stilz, geb. 1940 in Schnait, studierte Anglistik, Geographie und Philosophie, promovierte und wurde Professor für Englisch an der Universität Tübingen. Zeitweilig lehrte er auch an Universitäten in Indien, den USA und Australien sowie in Stuttgart und in Halle an der Saale. Mehr als ein Dutzend Bücher und gegen 100 wissenschaftliche Artikel hat er im Bereich der englischsprachigen Literaturen und Kulturen publiziert.
