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Critical Perspectives on Literature and Culture in the New World Order
Editor: Noritah Omar, Washima Che Dan, Jason Sanjeev Ganesan and Rosli Talif
Date Of Publication: Aug 2010
Isbn13: 978-1-4438-2265-7
Isbn: 1-4438-2265-5
The fifteen chapters in this volume explore both new and tested theoretical perspectives on literature and culture at large; this multiplicity of discourses is a reflection of the implicit discontent in conforming to the New World Order, and a contestation against hierarchical relationships between countries, which inform the social, cultural and political climates of weaker nations. With the political and economic hegemony of stronger nations, weaker nations run the risk of being dominated, or at the very least, having their own national identity and sovereignty steeped in ambivalence in the face of a globalised culture. This volume hopes to bring together critical views in relation to the construction of cultural studies in the Western framework, the application of literary theory in the readings of vernacular literature, contestation of the mainstream scientistic methodology of cultural evaluation, the role of English literature in Asian cultures, the application of postcolonial theory in literature, literary ethics in relation to Islamic literature, as well as the Islamic and Western conceptions of democracy. More than half of the articles in this collection centre on Islam as a guiding principle, or as a context through which critical perspectives are made on literature and culture in today’s globalised world order. This inadvertent foregrounding of Islam reflects a continuing dialogue on and with Islam and its significant impact on existing academic discourses founded upon Western-style scholarship.

Noritah Omar is Associate Professor at the English Department of the Universiti Putra Malaysia. Her research interests include postcolonial theory and literature, and gender studies. She is also exploring images of Islam in English literature, as well as in postcolonial literature.

Washima Che Dan is Associate Professor at the English Department of the Universiti Putra Malaysia. Her research interests are in the interconnections between language, culture and identity, and in the problematics of language and literature particularly within the context of a multilingual nation like Malaysia.

Jason Sanjeev Ganesan completed his undergraduate degree in English Literature in Universiti Putra Malaysia, before receiving his MA in English at University College London in 2008, specialising in issues in modern culture. He will be pursuing a PhD in English Literature in 2010.

Rosli Talif is Associate Professor at the English Department of the Universiti Putra Malaysia. He obtained his PhD in English Studies from the University of Nottingham, UK. His research interests include reading and literature, and language policy and planning in Malaysia.

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Sample pdf (including Table of Contents)

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– Dr Steven Vine, Swansea University

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