Kashyap, Aruni
MW 10:10 AM
Park Hall 0061
We still study three important novels written by American writers in this course : two prescribed, and a third of your choice. All published revolving around concerns of social justice, these exceptional novels serve as windows to the current and past debates around multicultural literature in America. The two required textbooks are An American Marriage by Tayari Jones and The Round House by Louise Erdrich We may start with questions such as what is multiculturalism, why should we read multicultural literature, and the limits of multiculturalism. During these discussions, we would discover what the structures that enable and hinder the celebration of multicultural American literature, and what such writing teach us about race, gender, globalization, ethnicity, indigenous rights, and of course, what it means to thrive in an increasingly cosmopolitan world and the legacy of American Dream. During this intellectual journey, we will expand our understanding through scholarly essays, lectures, creative nonfiction, speeches, and visual media. The novels by Tayari Jones and Louise Erdrich, meet and defy the expectations of multicultural American literature. How do these writers achieve this through plot, setting, narrative experimentation, politics, and voice? How do these writers engage with recent debates in multiculturalism? How can we theorize contemporary multicultural literature in America?