Is Canada Postcolonial?: Unsettling Canadian Literature

by Laura Moss (Editor)

How can postcolonialism be applied to Canadian literature? In all that has been written about postcolonialism, surprisingly little has specifically addressed the position of Canada, Canadian literature, or Canadian culture. Postcolonialism is a theory that has gained credence throughout the world; it is be productive to ask if and how we, as Canadians, participate in postcolonial debates. It is also vital to examine the ways in which Canada and Canadian culture fit into global discussions as our culture reflects how we interact with our neighbours, allies, and adversaries. This collection wrestles with the problems of situating Canadian literature in the ongoing debates about culture, identity, and globalization, and of applying the slippery term of postcolonialism to Canadian literature. The topics range in focus from discussions of specific literary works to general theoretical contemplations. The twenty-three articles in this collection grapple with the recurrent issues of postcolonialism ― including hybridity, collaboration, marginality, power, resistance, and historical revisionism ― from the vantage point of those working within Canada as writers and critics. While some seek to confirm the legitimacy of including Canadian literature in the discussions of postcolonialism, others challenge this very notion.

328 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Laura Moss is an associate professor in the Department of English at the University of British Columbia and the former director of the UBC International Canadian Studies Centre. She is the associate editor of the journal Canadian Literature, co-editor (with Cynthia Sugars) of the two volume Canadian Literature in English: Texts and Contexts (2008, 2009), and the editor of Is Canada Postcolonial? Unsettling Canadian Literature (WLU Press, 2003).

Reviews

[Rachel Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good collection of essays. They range from esoteric to much more accessible. I particularly enjoyed chapters by Susan Gingell and Judith Leggatt for their perspectives as non-indigenous scholars of indigenous literature while working within institutions which remain largely colonial.

[Marilena · Rating 3 out of 5]

So many interesting essays yet the answer to the main question...wasn't cleared up.....