Francoise Lionnet & Shu-mei Shih (eds.), "Minor Transnationalism" (Book Note)

 "Minor Transnationalism" presents a compelling collection of essays that addresses the often overlooked cultural experiences in transnationalism, emphasizing the significance of the term "minor" in the context of this volume. The central concern, as eloquently articulated in the introduction, revolves around the failure of globalization and transnationality theories to inherently validate minority subjects. Even in models that stress lateral and nonhierarchical networks, the gravitational pull of the center establishes a binary framework for studying the minor.

 

The collection challenges the prevalent tendency to perceive minorities as extraneous to the nation, highlighting that they are integral to the national imaginary with legitimate perspectives. The transnational, encompassing diaspora and multicultural polity, is examined without resorting to utopian/dystopian readings or romanticized counter-critical models. The transnational, as argued by Lionnet and Shu-Mei Shih, transcends the binary of the local and the global, manifesting across various spatialities and temporalities.

 

Minority cultures are positioned within the transnational moment, necessitating nuanced analysis and critique of their "productive relationship" with major and minor networks. The essays delve into the permanent presence of minorities within nations, emphasizing their struggles, anxieties, and the need for redefinition. The volume probes how minor transnationals seek recognition as full citizens and transform token cultural representations into integral components of national culture.

 

Organized into four sections—(1) theorizing, (2) historicizing, (3) reading, writing, performing, and (4) spatializing—the collection comprises fourteen essays. The essays cover a range of topics, from Suzanne Gearhart's exploration of the ambivalent structuring of subjectivity in the West to David Palumbo-Liu's return to aesthetics as a site for judging emotional orders. Two standout essays—Françoise Lionnet's exploration of translating Shakespeare in Mauritius and Ali Behdad's examination of postcolonial theory through a purposeful "misreading"—exemplify the collection's depth and significance.

 

The transcultural dimensions of literary production are reexamined, moving beyond traditional binaries and hierarchies. The collection advocates for a lateral postcolonial reading that emphasizes the interconnectedness of minor literatures without the necessity of passing through a metropolitan center. Lionnet's case study of the Indo-Mauritian Creole writer Dev Virahsawmy highlights the complexities of linguistic politics in Mauritius, illustrating how Creole becomes an indispensable language for expressing Mauritian emotions amid state efforts to compartmentalize the population.

 

Lionnet's exploration of Dev Virahsawmy's Creole play "Toufann" provides a fascinating lens through which to examine the dynamics of 'minor' literature and its deviation from hierarchical and center-oriented postcolonial theories. The play, partly dedicated to Lionnet, challenges conventional notions by utilizing a 'minor' language, Creole, to express local realities and resist diasporic nostalgia.

 

The title, "Toufann," carrying both Hindi and Creole semantics, disrupts fixed canons and showcases the resilience and openness of Creole as a subaltern language. Lionnet underscores Creole's unique position as a language of hybrid identities, lacking external cultural history, and serving as a symbol of 'transcolonial' solidarity. The play's significance lies in regional connections between texts rather than a vertical engagement with canonical influences.

 

Virahsawmy's use of Creole, with its rich cultural connotations, underscores the play's immediate relevance to local culture and politics. The essay highlights how Virahsawmy skillfully incorporates elements from Bollywood cinema into the narrative, reinforcing the play's grounding in Mauritian cultural dynamics. Unlike a mere condemnation of Shakespeare's portrayal of Caliban, "Toufann" delves into the reconstructions of characters, questioning the morality of the local state.

 

Ali Behdad extends these insights into a broader theoretical discussion of 'minor' literature. He critiques prevailing postcolonial theory language, emphasizing opposition, hegemony, resistance, and exile, for oversimplifying complex imperial and post-imperial situations. Behdad challenges the romanticization of exile, highlighting its often painful and non-redemptive aspects. He advocates for a more nuanced examination of specific manifestations of transnational formations, urging a shift from displacement-focused narratives.

 

Behdad's analysis draws on the work of historians and sociologists to stress the importance of contextualizing the lives of migrants within specific historical and geographical frameworks. He critiques postcolonial critics for prioritizing theories of displacement over location, arguing that this approach overlooks the contingent and uneven nature of transnational flows. In revisiting Driss Chraïbi's novel, Behdad demonstrates how a historical and localized perspective enriches our understanding of the complexities inherent in transnational experiences.