Narratives for a New Belonging

This insightful book explores cultural fictions from the margins, focusing on identity narratives within contemporary texts and films. Narratives for a New Belonging expands the understanding of ethnicity.

Cultural fictions, or texts that emerge from the margins, serve as the primary focus of Narratives for a New Belonging. The author delves into how contemporary 'borderline' fictions and films shape narratives of identity. By analyzing works from migrant and marginalized groups, the book intricately weaves together theoretical insights with textual analysis, shedding light on the complex identities formed at the intersections of nations, cultures, classes, ethnicities, sexualities, and genders.

Organized around crucial themes such as memory, tradition, and 'belonging', Narratives for a New Belonging introduces the concept of 'migrant' writing as a dynamic third space that challenges conventional notions of identity. This exploration highlights an array of cultural texts from diverse backgrounds, including British, Caribbean, Chinese-American, Indo-Caribbean, Canadian, Cuban, and Indian authors. The book features original discussions on notable writers like Maxine Hong Kingston, Gloria Anzaldua, and Amy Tan, alongside engagement with influential theorists such as Bakhtin, Freud, and Deleuze.

The examination of contemporary works, including Jasmine, Borderlands, and The Joy Luck Club, makes Narratives for a New Belonging accessible to a wide audience. By presenting these narratives, the book contributes significantly to the evolving definitions of ethnicity and post-colonial discourse, offering readers a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding identity in today's multicultural landscape.