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For the French Nouvelle Droite, literature plays an important role as a means to propagate questions of identity and the transmission of tradition. Literature is seen as a mirror not only of society but also, more specifically, of politics. If 'literary politics is [...] currently the central field of intervention of the New Right think tanks', then it is high time to gain an understanding of it. Through the analysis of an anthology published by right-wing editors, I elicit the idea of Europe and Europeans it seeks to propagate and reveal the strategies of subtle and deliberate confusion that it employs in order to include far-right authors in a universally accepted literary canon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sociology of knowledge approach to discourse assumes that cultural knowledge—and thus cultural spaces—are generated and shared through discourse. Actors' shared perceptions of vulnerability and practices to create resilience should be interrelated with knowledge provided by the relevant discourses of local and historical influence. However, these assumptions have not been thoroughly examined. This study compares river-related knowledge (concerning human–river relationships: ecocentric and anthropocentric perspectives) in the German and Polish literary canons, with knowledge provided in the relevant public media and the shared knowledge of local populations in flood-prone city districts along the Odra River. It concludes that actors' river-related knowledge interrelates with the knowledge produced by national and regional discourses and that culturally shared ideas of vulnerability and resilience are discursively embedded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This project is a rehearsal in language and its capacity to refuse comprehensibility. In this experimental process, we will be exploring the boundaries of legibility through a tracing of the shards and fragments embodied in the minor detail. With our sight fixed toward Palestine, we will explore how detail holds radical potential, be it in classical texts in the canon of Palestinian literature, or in the oral testimonies that have emerged from Gaza over the past 6 months. The focus on illegibility and language that defies comprehension exists in the shadow of genocide, where language fails to capture the immensity of the moment. Broken and sharp, it turns inward into a sense closer to emotion than to logic. In that sense, this project is also a rehearsal in utilizing language as matter, as material, as tangible touch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to examine the development of literary criticism throughout its history from structuralism to postmodernism, using Edward Said's criticism of Orientalism as a case study. A discourse- grounded analysis approach was used to analyze critical texts and articles related to this development. The results showed, according to Said, that the traditional Western depiction of the East is biased and based on power relations, which influenced postcolonial philosophy and the literary canon (Smith, 2018). Said sought to expose biases in Western literature’s depiction of the East (Jones, 2016). His writings have sparked debate about the role of the critic in shaping literary discourse, shifting critical focus toward questions of power, representation, and identity, and increasing opportunities for underrepresented groups to have their voices heard (Brown & Johnson, 2019). Said's critique of Orientalism has influenced contemporary literary criticism, opening the door to a more diverse and comprehensive literary study (Garcia & Lee, 2020). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The marketing claims of the Library of America (LOA) reveal that this institution functions within the tradition of such middlebrow publishing ventures as The Harvard Classics and the Modern Library. All such ventures assure consumers that cultural cache can be theirs through brand loyalty. LOA's brand identity, however, is fraught with contradictions. While claiming to continue the legacy of highbrow literary critic Edmund Wilson, LOA increasingly publishes volumes devoted to pulp genres that would have been anathema to Wilson. While English departments have been questioning notions of the canon throughout LOA's history, the publisher, founded in 1980, insists that its books define the canon of US literature. The professoriate, however, has largely ignored LOA's claims regarding great literature because the publisher also claims to uphold the standards of great scholarship. These brand contradictions serve as a context for assessing a recent addition to LOA's core collection, William Faulkner: Stories , edited by Theresa M. Towner. I contrast Towner's editorial methods with those of Joseph Blotner and Noel Polk, who edited LOA's five volumes of Faulkner's novels between 1985 and 2003, in order to address what we mean when we say a text is authoritative and corrected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sami Tchak is renowned for his novels that skillfully blend elements of literature and research, creating a fictionalized portrayal of both worlds. While commentators have examined various aspects of Tchak's work, none have explored the connection between literature and social sciences in his novels through their shared element, the book. This article demonstrates how his novel Le continent du Tout et du presque Rien (2021) aims to dismantle the assumed boundaries between form and content, reality and fiction, scientific discourse and literary expression. Through the fictionalization of ethnology books and African novels, it challenges preconceived notions, revealing the scientific elements within literary discourse and the literary aspects within scientific discourse. The novel combines a genealogical approach, addressing the Other through the lens of ethnology's influence on Africa's perception, with a genetic approach, aligning itself with the African literary canon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Specula is the property of SPECULA UCV and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Humanitas: International Journal of Social Sciences / Uluslararasi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi is the property of Humanitas: International Journal of Social Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai, Philologia is the property of Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Art & Interpretation / Sanat ve Yorum is the property of Ataturk University Coordinatorship of Scientific Journals and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Cultural Studies / Kültür Araştırmaları Dergisi is the property of Journal of Cultural Studies / Kultur Arastirmalari Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article discusses the application of Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy to literature, specifically the works of John Banville. It explores the concept of "virtuous egoism" in Nietzsche's philosophy and suggests that characters in Banville's novels embody this idea. The article also examines the theme of death in Banville's works and its connection to ethics and optimism. The document accompanying the article is a list of references and sources related to Nietzsche's philosophy, including translations of his work and books analyzing his ideas. These resources would be valuable for library patrons researching Nietzsche and his philosophy. [Extracted from the article]

In the 1930s,Shen Congwen expressed his understanding and thinking about literary classics(great Chinese literary works)through a series of critical essays,and behind these critical discourses there was a strong sense of "self-classicization", which was fully presented in the process of interpreting the works of specific writers:first,to evaluate the "other "from the classical viewpoint of "I", that is,to evaluate or define the literary works of other writers of the same era according to the classical standards in his own mind;The second is to take the initiative to read and compare their own works with the works of contemporary writers whose style is close to their own,and in the process to realize their own interpretation and evaluation,and open up the space and path to understand the "classicality" of their works; The third is to frequently preset ideal readers and critics for their works,revealing a deep pursuit of the enduring aesthetic value of their works. Shen Congwen's "self-classicization" has effectively expanded the thinking and understanding of literary classics in modern literature,and also promoted the final establishment of his status as literary classics to a certain extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Maryemma Graham's biography of Margaret Walker, titled "The House Where My Soul Lives," aims to move Walker from the margins of intellectual history to the center of contemporary reimaginings of Black and Africana Studies. The biography challenges presumptions about Walker's life and career, reintroducing her as a child prodigy, thought leader, institutional disrupter and builder, and a humanist. Graham explores Walker's upbringing in the South, her time in Chicago during the Black Chicago Renaissance, and her involvement in the Black Studies and Black Arts Movement. The biography also highlights Walker's novel "Jubilee" and her role in the neoslave narrative genre. While Walker's place in the literary canon remains less secure, Graham's comprehensive biography presents a more complex and nuanced view of Walker and aims to change readers' perceptions of her. [Extracted from the article]

In 2017, Ali Zamir's acclaimed debut novel Anguille sous roche became the first Comorian novel to circulate in translation in Europe. This article discusses its English translation, A Girl Called Eel, by Aneesa Abbas Higgins (2019) in relation to the reception, circulation, and canon formation of literature from the Comoros islands. By discussing translation's ties to heritage conservation and literary consecration in the Comorian context alongside a comparative textual and paratextual analysis of Anguille and Eel, I investigate the extent to which the novel's 'Comorianness' was erased, reclaimed, or playfully constructed along this translation journey by a wide variety of actors. These include the independent publishers Le Tripode and Jacaranda Books, who respectively published the French and English texts, various French literary institutions and French and UK-based funding bodies, as well as the author and translator themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We start with the hypothesis that the library is a fundamental institution in the creation of the youth literary canon. To uphold it, we analyze the process of constructing this canon by examining the titles that are selected from the library, how they are selected and who selects them. The methodology involved the preparation of two surveys and the analysis of 209 responses from public libraries in Spain and 162 from their reading clubs, 19 of youth literature. The data identifies, classifies, analyzes, and compares the titles of the works selected in public libraries: on the one hand, the books that the user chooses to borrow and, on the other hand, those that are read in reading clubs. In the case of the reading clubs, there is a mediation process that we describe and analyze based on the responses to the surveys. The results demonstrate the importance of mediation carried out by librarians and club coordinators to ensure that users engage in diverse and quality reading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reviews a book titled "Translations and Semi-Peripheral Cultures: Worlding the Romanian Novel in the Modern Literary System." The book examines the role of translation in Romanian literature and its impact on the national literary system. It explores various topics such as the influence of foreign authors on Romanian literature, the dynamics of the Romanian novel market, and the translation of literature from different regions into Romanian. The review acknowledges the book's contribution to the field but also highlights some weaknesses in its theoretical concepts and quantitative approaches. [Extracted from the article]

Mihaela Ursa's book, "Indisciplina ficțiunii: Viața de după carte a literaturii," explores the ways in which the current media landscape has shaped the reception of fiction and how these changes can be used to revive classics and literature for a new generation of digital natives. The book focuses on the transmedial circulation of canonical texts and argues that literature is no longer the privileged road to accessing narratives. Ursa also discusses the fetishization of literature and the benefits of a transmedial approach in overcoming monomedial prejudices. The book includes case studies of transmedial adaptations of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," Cervantes' "Don Quixote," and Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew." The conclusion emphasizes that the literary and the postliterary will coexist in the future and influence each other's practices. [Extracted from the article]

Alex Goldiș's book, ZOOM IN/ ZOOM OUT: Lecturi de critică și literatură contemporană (Readings of contemporary criticism and literature), is a comprehensive exploration of influential texts in Romanian literature and criticism. The book is divided into three parts, with the first focusing on Romanian literary fiction, the second on Romanian criticism, and the third on international theory. Goldiș's reviews and analyses cover a wide range of literary volumes, offering insights into the works of both established and emerging authors. The book provides a valuable resource for understanding the dynamics of contemporary literature and criticism in Romania. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the Thirty-Fourth Annual Conference of the American Literature Association, which took place in Boston. The conference featured various panels organized by author societies and special-interest groups, focusing on topics such as James Fenimore Cooper, Washington Irving, Charles Brockden Brown, and early African American literature. The panels explored a range of themes, including history, material culture, affect, adaptation, and the use of Afrofuturism as a reading practice. The article also highlights roundtable discussions on navigating the academic job market and engaging students in American literature survey courses. Overall, the conference provided a platform for scholars to share their research and engage in lively discussions. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses Toni Morrison's book "Playing in the Dark" and its impact on literary studies. It addresses criticism of Morrison's work, particularly in relation to Freudian psychoanalysis. The article argues that Morrison's close readings of white American literature challenge traditional frameworks of history and memory, specifically in regards to racial slavery. It also explores the tension between history and memory in the study of racial slavery and the conceptualization of the past. The article emphasizes the importance of reevaluating literary canonicity and the value of literature in understanding the human experience. [Extracted from the article]

In the late 1970s, James J. Y. Liu published Essentials of Chinese Literature Art in the United States. This book adheres to the concept of "pure literature" and adopts the writing style classification approach, comprehensively and generally introducing Chinese literature from The Book of Songs to the 1970s, also including Taiwan literature. It has become a key link in the chain of "non-native language writing" in the history of Chinese literature. When writing the history of Chinese literature, James J. Y. Liu fully considered the acceptance of Western readers, chose literary classics that were slightly different from those in China, adopted the method of comparing Chinese and Western literature, achieving the goal of spreading Chinese literature to Western readers. The Chinese text translator has both appropriate handling and some errors and omissions in the process of translating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Impossibilia: Revista Internacional de Estudios Literarios is the property of Impossibilia: Revista Internacional de Estudios Literarios and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Alan Sharp, a Scottish writer, gained recognition for his first novel, A Green Tree in Gedde, which won an Arts Council Prize in 1965. Despite criticism of his portrayal of women as misogynistic, David Manderson argues that Sharp's female characters are unique individuals. Sharp later wrote scripts for Hollywood films during the "New Hollywood" era, reflecting the countercultural and turbulent nature of the time. Notably, his script for Ulzana's Raid questioned the invasion of a minority culture by a more powerful one. This article explores Sharp's films, including "Billy Two Hats," "The Last Run," and "Night Moves," highlighting his use of anti-heroes and exploration of masculinity. The author also mentions Sharp's novelization of "Night Moves" and his success in writing for American television dramas. The article concludes by praising Sharp's work as a valuable resource for future researchers and recognizing him as one of Scotland's finest writers. [Extracted from the article]

In this paper, Brigid Haines's remarks on the Eastern Turn of German-speaking literature will be considered in questioning the Czech literary canon concerning what is known as migration literature. Foremost among my working analyses will be terminological differences between migration literature, the poetics of nomadism, writing between worlds, as well as general observations on switching languages and multilingualism among Czech writers. Not least, the authors under study present the difficulties for literary scholars, at least those that operate with classification systems, in allocating works of national literature in whose language or under whose conditions they have not been written. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article conducts a meticulous exploration of Indian cultural heritage and societal norms through an in-depth analysis of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's diverse literary works. The research scrutinizes the intricate details of Indian traditions, shedding light on the multifaceted tapestry of cultural nuances and societal expectations depicted in Divakaruni's narratives. Key thematic areas include identity, familial dynamics, gender roles, and the intersection of tradition with modernity. Through a comprehensive examination of the author's insightful narratives, this study aims to contribute to a profound understanding of the rich cultural heritage and evolving societal norms within the context of contemporary Indian literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of eHumanista is the property of Professor Antonio Cortijo-Ocana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Iberoamericana (Liverpool University Press) is the property of Liverpool University Press / Journals and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study focuses on the analysis of the school lists of literary works for the gra- duation exam, which were published for the exam in the school year 2019/2020. The aim of this pilot study is to determine if there is a relation between school lists and the state-certified list, which is also a determining factor for the graduation exam in the Czech language and literaure. Questions regarding the influence of the school list on the success rate of the graduation exam or the relation between the type of school and the size of the list and the graduation exam are also discussed. We analyze the lists from 72 schools from the South Moravian Region in the Czech Republic. In total, we are dealing with 7551 items, on which the correlation analysis, regression analysis and cluster analysis are applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tolkien was one of very few writers, before him or since, whose "Cauldron of Story," or tradition (in T. S. Eliot's usage of the word), included both Walter Scott and the Beowulf poet. This essay examines how T. S. Eliot's 'Was There a Scottish Literature?' (1919) and Edwin Muir's Scott and Scotland (1936) were part of an interwar critical trend that eliminated Scott and Scottish authors from the twentieth-century Romantic canon. As the century went on, fewer people read Scott, and the links to a British tradition with which The Lord of the Rings ought to be in dialog were erased. This essay attempts to place Tolkien back in Scott's tradition, demonstrating the importance of Scott to British academics of Tolkien's age and speculating on which Scott texts Tolkien may have read (with an extended analysis of texts dealing with middle earth, as well as an analysis of the themes and versification of Marmion in relation to Tolkien's prose and poetry). I highlight the similarities in the two writers' literary affinities, as well as the ways in which Tolkien's understanding of Faërie and Middle-earth follow Scott's. Moreover, I point out that Tolkien's reception history may also have been influenced by Scott's: Muir's three Observer reviews of The Lord of the Rings find the same faults with Tolkien's writing that Muir had found with Scott's in Scott and Scotland. Finally, this essay addresses the question of longevity in literary traditions, noting that Tolkien is not immune from becoming a second Scott in cultural memory - but also that literary traditions are much more individual and divided than Eliot and Muir believed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel The Gadfly (1897) enjoyed enormous popularity in the Soviet Union, China, and other socialist countries in the twentieth century. The novel was first canonized in the Soviet Union, listed as an extracurricular reading for middle school students, and then canonized in China in the 1950s and early 1960s. Instead of inviting open-ended interpretations, the authorities endorse a politicized interpretation of the novel, portraying the Catholic hero "Gadfly" as a romantic revolutionary fighting for national independence. In contrast to its immediate success in socialist countries, the novel is hardly known and even largely forgotten in the West. This essay looks into the translation, circulation, and reception of the novel in the Soviet Union and China, particularly the political power structures inherent in the processes of its canonization in these socialist countries. Despite the political effort to elevate it to the status of a literary canon in the socialist bloc, the novel never entered a canon of world literature as such, which, I argue, should be tested out by its intrinsic literary values and appreciated by worldwide communities of enlightened readers, free from heavy-handed political interventions and ideological manipulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the field of Chinese literary studies in relation to comparative, cross-cultural, transnational, and global contexts. The authors argue that important issues regarding Chinese and world literature are often overlooked in international scholarship. They bring together scholars from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and North America to examine methodological and theoretical issues related to Chinese, comparative, and world literature. The article also discusses the history and development of comparative literature, the role of translation in intercultural reception, and the need for a comprehensive approach to world literature that includes non-Western traditions. The authors stress the significance of recognizing and studying Chinese literature within the framework of world literature. The text further explores perspectives on Chinese-Western comparative literature and the challenges of comparing Chinese and European literatures due to linguistic and cultural differences. It suggests the need for a new model of comparison that goes beyond traditional approaches. The text also considers the influence of Western culture in China and the evolution of Chinese literature as world literature. It concludes by highlighting the importance of ongoing discussion and scholarship to further explore the complexities of Chinese literature in the global context. [Extracted from the article]

Xiao Hong's literary classics have room for continuous development and interpretation. The narrative time and space in The Field of Life and Death is gyroscopic, which is composed of vague time marks and fragmented space scenes, and then its movement and development trajectory are changed by numerous internal and external forces. Market Street makes use of the elements and techniques of "vacuity" to deal with " Quasi-novelization", thus expanding and enhancing the "truth" of the idea; Regardless of gender and age, the main characters in Tales of Hulan River can be analyzed from the perspective of self-sufficiency and inadequacy of childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Azares de lo cubano. Lecturas al margen de la nación" analyzes Cuban literary works from an innovative and subjective perspective. The author questions the gender stereotypes assigned to the authors and their creations. The poetry of Luisa Pérez de Zambrana and her challenge to gender stereotypes is examined. The encounter between Antonio Maceo and Julián del Casal is also analyzed, and how they were excluded from traditional criticism due to their Afro-descendance and sexual orientation. Reflection is made on writing about race and racism in culturally distant contexts through the thoughts of Rafael Serra. The article seeks to promote a broader and more diverse understanding of Cuban literature. Rafael Serra's writings on the United States and the civil rights of Afro-descendants in Cuba are also examined, as well as the last days of José Martí and his reflection on national identity. The epilogue invites questioning the limits of the literary canon and being open to differences and contradictions. [Extracted from the article]

A personal narrative is presented in which the author explores Glenna's emotional journey through miscarriage and abuse, her transformative road trip, and the symbolic significance of her familial and geographic roots.

Drawing examples from pioneering, established, and emerging African writers' works, this article advocates an enrichment of global literature through Western and African writers' and critics' acknowledgement and celebration of the existence of a plurality of literary canons. It limns the Africanization of global literature and the globalization of African literature by arguing that African literature has unduly suffered from biased comparisons and subsequent denigrations by Western critics, who often uncritically dub Western literature the canon that needs to be sheepishly emulated by African writers who wish to enjoy global or universal acclaim. The article concludes that both global and African literatures would be enormously fecundated if their writers and critics were to acknowledge the existence of regional canons and masterpieces, thereby encouraging literary communities to nurture and celebrate their own canons and masterpieces, alongside the canons and masterpieces of other societies, in a spirit of creative complementarity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article summarizes the manner in which fanzine authors contextualize J. R. R. Tolkien's fiction within diverse literary traditions. Although rarely the topic of academic discussions in the 1960s, fanzine authors regularly contextualize The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and Tolkien's unfinished fiction in terms of genre, canon and literary tradition. After examining and categorizing the authors and texts discussed in 80 fan letters and articles, I found that fan authors are almost evenly divided in the ways they contextualize Tolkien's fiction: as part of the fantasy tradition, as an inheritor of the epic or mythological genealogy, or as part of a third more eclectic tradition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toni Morrison spoke and wrote extensively about the primacy of the art of creating fiction, resisting any critical, academic, or social attempts, however well-intentioned, to categorize her texts and wrest their autonomy. Implicit in periodization, one such "lazy labeling" strategy long embraced by critics and pedagogues, is a power dynamic that diminishes the artist, her art, and the reader's experience of both. This discussion of two related works by Morrison, Sula and "Recitatif," contextualizes her aesthetic theory by closely examining her defiance of conventional norms for narrative structure, character delineation, and even setting description. As both narratives trace their respective protagonists' lifelong journeys, which propel forward and revert to earlier times to attain truth, Morrison exposes the mendacity of a singularly linear progression of finite time periods. This consideration of Sula and "Recitatif" focuses on the texts as models of Morrison's insistence upon connection, ambiguity, and circularity in fiction. As metaphorical argument for a literary canon that transcends classification by time periods or any other limiting, arbitrarily prescribed criteria, Morrison's narratives resonate timelessly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In Malaysian literature, few contemporary writers have emerged as prominently and poignantly as Tan Twan Eng. His works not only explore the complexities of cultural identity, shed light on the historical, social, and political realities of the Chinese Malaysian experience, but also incorporate postcolonial ecocritical perspectives and elements of cross-cultural fusion. Through his narratives, he offers a unique perspective that resonates with readers and contributes to the broader discourse on postcolonialism, identity, and cross-cultural interactions. This paper embarks on a nuanced reading of Eng’s novels, endeavors to position his works within the larger framework of Malaysian literature, exploring their role in shaping and redefining the nation’s literary canon. It delves into specific aspects of Tan Twan Eng’s literary contributions, paying particular attention to his treatment of historical narratives, the exploration of cultural identities, and the integration of ecological elements. Through this analysis, we seek to unravel the unique qualities that distinguish Tan Twan Eng’s novels and their significance in the Malaysian literary context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This collaborative essay considers how India's multiple, time-deep, and sophisticated literary cultures can contribute to a canon of global literary theory. Reconstructing premodern Indian literary theories of allusion and translation, we seek to bring new voices into the global discussion. The first part explores a theory of allusion in conversation with a work of Sanskrit literary theory, Ruyyaka's Treasure of Ornaments. In the second part, the focus is on retellings of stories in the premodern Persianate world. The device of the frame story, as found in collections of animal fables like the Sanskrit Pañcatantra and the Perso-Islamic Kalila wa Dimna and in the racy tales in the Śukasaptati (Sanskrit) and Tutinama (Persian), was accompanied by one or more translator's prefaces. These instances are viewed as examples of "metalepsis," highlighting the self-referential structure of narrative and demarcating the boundary between the worlds of the narrator and story. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contrasting with readings of his work that strive to shackle the author to the traditional French nineteenth-century literary canon, this article argues that Michel Houellebecq can be understood as a novelist of the Facebook generation. To put it another way, this article considers what happens when a novelist who began his literary career stressing the insufficiency of literature (in Extension du domaine de la lutte, 1994) keeps on writing. Not only does he persist, but he does so against the background of an ever-accelerating evolution in the technologies, channels and modes of reading towards a post-literate age. This article thus considers the cultural logics of the digital moment—including re/appropriation, information overload, online trolling and the curation of online identities—and how they illuminate the themes, texture and politics of Houellebecq's work. This argument is illustrated through examples drawn from Houellebecq's Sérotonine (2019) and also briefly considers how the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm might prove a helpful frame through which to view the work of the French novelist. Sérotonine, I argue, is far from the novelist's most accomplished novel, but demonstrates an acute sensitivity to the forms and structures of contemporary online experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this essay, I aim to provide an overview of the relationship between women's writing and the 'canon', to suggest some reasons for its continuing marginality to that canon, and to outline briefly the ways in which the particular character and qualities of early modern women's writing require a rethinking of many of our dominant narratives about the literary history of the period. In this I draw upon the work of many critics whose work has shaped my thinking, and who are mapping out exciting new trajectories for the future direction of this field. The second part of the article focuses on setting out some ways in which early modern women's writing might provide productive challenges to current orthodoxies about the canon of Renaissance Literature. Finally, I turn to the future, and some ideas about how the category of 'women's writing' itself needs to be repositioned and reconceived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]