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English Current Students Intranet

EN938 Theory from the Margins: Postcolonialism and the Radical Tradition

Spring 2025
Dr. Tomos Hughes
Course Description:
This module will examine the emergence, institutionalization, and a purported 'crisis' of postcolonial theory through a set of key fictional, historical, and political texts. Much of course can be said about the academic disciplinarization of postcolonial studies in the Anglo-American academy from the 1980s onwards, occurring in the context of economic and cultural globalization and a new American imperialism. This seminar will critically build on this historical conjuncture, by focusing on a range of influential texts written in earlier decades to try and understand the relationship between anti-colonialism and postcolonialism, and to examine the ways in which these have shaped a host of contemporary academic debates about postcoloniality. We will also examine debates about the overlaps and disjunctures between postcolonial theory and other theories from the margins that draw on the black radical tradition, Marxist critiques of imperialism and indigenous critiques of settler colonialism.

Syllabus: 

For the full syllabus for 2024/25 see the syllabus page here

The only primary texts you will absolutely need to get hold of yourself are C.L.R. James, The Black Jacobins (I would suggest the Penguin edition, but any edition 1963 and after is fine); Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth (again I would suggest the Penguin); and Ayei Kwei Amrah, The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born (second hand copies available online). All the other texts are available through the library online, linked from the syllabus page, or else I will provide photocopies.

For a useful list of additional readings see here

Course Requirements:
The course will be run as a seminar. In other words, it will depend on your contributions to the discussion. In order to achieve this, you are expected to attend all the seminars and to do all the readings in a timely manner.

Seminar Guidelines:

Attendance: Attendance at each seminar is mandatory. If there is a medical reason or any other urgent situation, a written note should be submitted for record.

Seminar Participation: Seminars generally succeed or fail because of the quality of group participation. This means that you must keep on top of the required readings—reading thoroughly, carefully and in a timely manner.

Said Cov 

 

Edward Said Memorial Lecture 2013 by Prof Samir AminLink opens in a new window(Audio clip)

Edward Said Memorial Lecture 2012 by Prof Benita Parry(Audio clip)

Edward Said on Orientalism(Video clip)