The Problem With the Postcolonial Syllabus

Posted on February 20, 2021
IM
Edward Lear, 1812–1888, Kangchenjunga from Darjeeling, 1879

Against a peculiarly Western allergy to the pleasure of the text.

The Problem With the Postcolonial Syllabus
Against a peculiarly Western allergy to the pleasure of the text.
THE CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION
By Sumana Roy
FEBRUARY 10, 2021

Postcolonial texts seem to have two jobs in these syllabi: They either negatively illustrate some form of moral or social misconduct, or they positively represent a “marginalized” culture or geography. Ideally, they do both at once, often in the manner of a Live Aid concert.

Modified on February 20, 2021