English Literature: Contemporary Asian British Literature and an Introduction to Postcolonial Literary Studies by Dr Lucienne Loh, The University of Liverpool

The main aim of this session is to introduce secondary school students to the option of postcolonial literary studies at university level. Most English departments at university will teach modules which include some aspect of postcolonial literary studies. The session will therefore aim to cover the following points through a lecture-style session interspersed with group discussion. The order of points/activities covered will be as follows:

• Brief historical and theoretical background to the term “postcolonial” in the context of contemporary British literature and culture.

• More specific relationship between postcolonial studies and contemporary Asian British Literature • Modes of studying contemporary Asian British literature.

• Coverage of some central concerns of contemporary Asian British writers through group discussion of extracts from Hanif Kureishi’s Dreaming and Scheming. [ 10-15 minutes].

• Some explanation of key literary terms: irony, metaphor, simile.

• Some explanation of a key postcolonial term: hybridity.

• Group Discussion of Salman Rushdie’s short story “The Courter” using the terms and exploring the politics of postcolonial studies and contemporary Asian British literature. [10-15 minutes].

• There will be an opportunity for the students to ask questions as the end of the session either about the material covered or about the study of English at university level.

Suitable for: Year 12

Preparation/Pre-reading: The students will be expected to read two pieces of writing:

(1) Hanif Kureishi, “The Rainbow Sign,” Dreaming and Scheming (Faber and Faber, 2002): 25-32; 47-56.

(2) Salman Rushdie, “The Courter” East West (Vintage, 1994): 173-211.

In preparation for the session, the students should try to prepare brief responses to questions, supplied separately, which are related to the above readings.