Discourses of Postcolonialism in Contemporary British Children's Literature

By Blanka Grzegorczyk | Publisher: Taylor and Francis

About the book

This book considers how contemporary British children’s books engage with some of the major cultural debates of recent years, and how they resonate with the current preoccupations and tastes of the white mainstream British reading public. A central assumption of this volume is that Britain’s imperial past continues to play a key role in its representations of race, identity, and history. The insistent inclusion of questions relating to colonialism and power structures in recent children’s novels exposes the complexities and contradictions surrounding the fictional treatment of race relations and ethnicity.

Postcolonial children’s literature in Britain has been inherently ambivalent since its cautious beginnings: it is both transgressive and authorizing, both undercutting and excluding. Grzegorczyk considers the ways in which children’s fictions have worked with and against particular ideologies of race. The texts analyzed in this collection portray ethnic minorities as complex, hybrid products of colonialism, global migrations, and the ideology of multiculturalism. By examining the ideological content of these novels, Grzegorczyk demonstrates the centrality of the colonial past to contemporary British writing for the young.

Editions of Discourses of Postcolonialism in Contemporary British Children's Literature

EBook
ISBN 9781317962618
PDF
ISBN 9781317962625

Read an Excerpt

This book considers how contemporary British children’s books engage with some of the major cultural debates of recent years, and how they resonate with the current preoccupations and tastes of the white mainstream British reading public. A central assumption of this volume is that Britain’s imperial past continues to play a key role in its representations of race, identity, and history. The insistent inclusion of questions relating to colonialism and power structures in recent children’s novels exposes the complexities and contradictions surrounding the fictional treatment of race relations and ethnicity.

Postcolonial children’s literature in Britain has been inherently ambivalent since its cautious beginnings: it is both transgressive and authorizing, both undercutting and excluding. Grzegorczyk considers the ways in which children’s fictions have worked with and against particular ideologies of race. The texts analyzed in this collection portray ethnic minorities as complex, hybrid products of colonialism, global migrations, and the ideology of multiculturalism. By examining the ideological content of these novels, Grzegorczyk demonstrates the centrality of the colonial past to contemporary British writing for the young.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Discourses of Postcolonialism in Contemporary British Children's Literature about?

This book considers how contemporary British children’s books engage with some of the major cultural debates of recent years, and how they resonate with the current preoccupations and tastes of the white mainstream British reading public. A central assumption of this volume is that Britain’s imperial past continues to play a key role in its representations of race, identity, and history. The insistent inclusion of questions relating to colonialism and power structures in recent children’s novels exposes the complexities and contradictions surrounding the fictional treatment of race relations and ethnicity.

Postcolonial children’s literature in Britain has been inherently ambivalent since its cautious beginnings: it is both transgressive and authorizing, both undercutting and excluding. Grzegorczyk considers the ways in which children’s fictions have worked with and against particular ideologies of race. The texts analyzed in this collection portray ethnic minorities as complex, hybrid products of colonialism, global migrations, and the ideology of multiculturalism. By examining the ideological content of these novels, Grzegorczyk demonstrates the centrality of the colonial past to contemporary British writing for the young.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Discourses of Postcolonialism in Contemporary British Children's Literature?

Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Literature: history and criticism > Children’s and teenage literature studies: general

Where can I read a sample of Discourses of Postcolonialism in Contemporary British Children's Literature?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781317962618

Is Discourses of Postcolonialism in Contemporary British Children's Literature part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?

Yes it is a part of series Children's Literature and Culture

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Discourses of Postcolonialism in Contemporary British Children's Literature?

Blanka Grzegorczyk

Who is the Publisher of the book Discourses of Postcolonialism in Contemporary British Children's Literature?

Taylor and Francis

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Discourses of Postcolonialism in Contemporary British Children's Literature is available as ebook(ISBN 9781317962618) and pdf(ISBN 9781317962625)