Tropicopolitans

This insightful exploration of colonial discourse in Tropicopolitans reveals the agency of oppressed peoples and the emergence of anticolonial consciousness in the eighteenth century.

In Tropicopolitans, Srinivas Aravamudan embarks on a thoughtful exploration of the colonial imagination during the eighteenth century. He delves into the representations of various peoples and cultures that were subjected to colonial discourse, emphasizing the agency of those oppressed. This work argues for the capacity of these individuals to resist domination, shedding light on the emergence of anticolonial consciousness that predates the nineteenth century. Through his analysis, Aravamudan reveals how literary texts played a crucial role in shaping perceptions and narratives during a time of significant imperial expansion.

The concept of 'tropicalization' serves as a central metaphor in this analysis, encapsulating the dynamic tropes through which the colonized were viewed, alongside the geographical focus of the study—primarily the tropics. Tropicopolitans refers to those who bear the weight of colonial representations while simultaneously resisting them. Aravamudan's readings of influential texts, such as Behn's Oroonoko, Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, and Swift's Gulliver's Travels, among others, reveal new relationships between literary representation and colonialism, offering fresh insights into the complexities of this era.

By introducing a postcolonial lens to eighteenth-century studies, Tropicopolitans presents a radical approach to literary history. This work is particularly relevant for scholars engaged in postcolonial studies, eighteenth-century literature, and literary theory, providing them with new mechanisms to understand the development of anticolonial agency and resistance within the literary canon of the time.