World Literature: A Panacea for the Colonial Prejudice of English Literature

Amirhossein Nemati,Ali Hassanpour Darbandi

doi:10.9744/kata.22.1.1-9

Abstract

The present study is an attempt to discuss the importance of “World Literature” for English literary studies in universities and societies around the world. In this regard, this paper shall refer to the stances adopted by various thinkers against the colonial and ideological essence of the English literature in developing countries. In this part, references are made to postcolonial thinkers and the way they have exposed the barbaric nature of colonialism, in that it has, for decades, marginalized the culture and literature of other nations through cultural (neo)colonialism. The next part offers a brief introduction to the history of the emergence of “World Literature” and the ways in which it contributes to bridging the gap between nations across continents and ideological divides. The final section is devoted to a recapitulatory remark vis-à-vis the reorientation of the public’s eyes towards “World Literature” as a panacea for the colonial prejudice of English literature.

Highlights

In developing a literary canon, some pretty crucial points must be taken into careful consideration such as diversity, appropriateness, and up-to-datedness of the selected materials, structural fertility of the disciplines, correspondence and congruity between the materials presented and the needs and demands of the society, and attention to the latest theoretical and conceptual frameworks to expand and push back the frontiers of knowledge in the present world
Paying scrupulous attention to this issue grows in significance, when it comes to dealing with humanities and social sciences, in that humanities and social sciences are most principally concerned with the essence and complexities of the abstruse and indecipherable nature of human beings
The concept of world literature aims at allowing a mutual recognition and effectuating a reconciliation between diverse nations and races across concocted divides; it tries to bring people to a better understanding of each other and of their common and different features

Summary

Introduction

In developing a literary canon, some pretty crucial points must be taken into careful consideration such as diversity, appropriateness, and up-to-datedness of the selected materials, structural fertility of the disciplines, correspondence and congruity between the materials presented and the needs and demands of the society, and attention to the latest theoretical and conceptual frameworks to expand and push back the frontiers of knowledge in the present world. Paying scrupulous attention to this issue grows in significance, when it comes to dealing with humanities and social sciences, in that humanities and social sciences are most principally concerned with the essence and complexities of the abstruse and indecipherable nature of human beings. It can, be argued that no society will develop unless their humanities and social sciences start to develop cultivated perspectives concerning professional education Positive and constructive engagement with literary studies can serve as one of the most expeditious ways for researchers who have scholarly obsessions to probe into the cultural and social values of other nations across ideological divides

Objectives

Discussion

Conclusion