Dialectics Of South Asian Subjectivity Across Borders A Critical Study Of Selected Contemporary English And Vernacular Diasporic Fiction

Abstract

ABSTRACT newlineDialectics of South Asian Subjectivity across Borders: A Critical Study of Selected Contemporary English and Vernacular Diasporic Fiction newlineName of student newline: newlinePardeep Kaur newlineRegistration Number newline: newlineCUP/MPh-PhD/SLLC/CPL/2011-12/07 newlineDegree for which submitted newline: newlineDoctor of Philosophy newlineSupervisor newline: newlineDr. Amandeep Singh newlineDepartment newline: newlineDepartment of Languages and Comparative Literature newlineSchool of Studies newline: newlineSchool of Languages, Literature and Culture newlineKey words newline: newlineDialectics, Subjectivity, South Asia, Diaspora, Vernacular, Postcolonial, Discourse, Hybridity, Multiculturalism. newlineThe present thesis examines the dialectics of South Asian subjectivity across borders of nation-state, gender, religion, class, culture and ethnicity through the critical study of eight novels by diasporic writers in English and vernacular languages. The thesis is organised into six chapters. The introductory chapter comprises major trends in contemporary South Asian diasporic literature, the review of existing literature, brief introduction to the selected texts, historically theorising the term subjectivity from the Enlightenment to the postmodern era. The second chapter explores the perceptions of different generations regarding tradition, modernity, assimilation and acculturation, evolved through conflicts and dialogue. The third chapter explores how spatial and temporal contexts keep on shaping individual subjectivity, while at the same time personal and collective history spiral together for determining the historical positioning of these subjects. The fourth chapter examines the contestation between normative discourses (heterosexuality, patriarchy, religion, nationalism etc.) and the existing alternative discourses (homosexuality, hybridity, cosmopolitanism etc.) leading to the dynamic process of South Asian subjectivity construction. The changing definitions and nature of culture, existence of plurality of cultures, multicultural overtones represented in the contemporary fiction constitute the fifth chapter of this study. The concluding chapter