Lunsford and Ouzgane, "Crossing Borderlands: Composition and Postcolonial Studies" (Book Note)

 

"Crossing Borderlands" offers a vibrant portrayal of the evolving landscape of English studies. The essays within it grapple with the challenge of defining and situating postcolonial studies within or in connection to this field. Perspectives vary, oscillating between the difficulty of confining postcolonial studies' interdisciplinary nature to a definition based solely on methodology or the object of study, as observed in Deepika Bahri's essay. There's also an implicit definition that often presents it as interchangeable with or as a sub-field of literary studies.

 

The application of this second definition is particularly intriguing, as it places the collection's project in the context of a heated debate regarding the relationship between composition and literary studies. At its core, the collection raises a crucial question: given the shared commitments of postcolonial and composition studies, why hasn't there been more meaningful exchange between the two disciplines?

 

In her incisive opening essay, Min-Zhan Lu suggests one answer lies in the close association of postcolonial studies with literary studies. Lu contends that the historical dichotomy between literature and composition, as well as research and teaching, creates a challenge for those advocating radical perspectives within English Studies. Lu coins the term "the ungrateful receiver" to describe the position one assumes in confronting the field's pressure to assimilate composition teachers into adopting the tenets of literary theories.

 

Essays by scholars like Lunsford, Susan C. Jarratt, Martin Behr, and Jaime Armin Mejia delve into the necessary intersection between postcolonial and composition studies. They make visible the structures of oppression inhibiting writers' agency while emphasizing the liberatory potential of writing. Rather than pigeonholing composition studies as merely the "other" to literary or postcolonial studies, contributions such as R. Mark Hall and Mary Rosner's examination and critique of Mary Louise Pratt's concept of "contact zones" and Louise Rodriguez Connal's study of hybridized language and identity among Meztizo/a writers showcase how theoretical and empirical work in both domains can be mutually beneficial. These essays not only offer scholars and teachers unique ways to engage with existing theoretical concepts but also provide practical insights into immediate historical and political realities.

 

Several other essays in the collection offer valuable insights into expanding the discussion beyond literature and the social contexts of students, shedding light on how scholars and educators navigate spaces influenced by postcolonial power structures. In the creative critical essay " (Im)migrant Crossings," Aneil Rallin communicates his experiences as a Visiting Assistant Professor of English, an "alien" from the third world, and a queer individual, expressing and addressing the challenges of inhabiting multiple positionalities. David Dzaka, in "Resisting Writing: Reflections on the Postcolonial Factor in the Writing Class," draws on his multilingual educational background in Ghana to explore the causes and consequences of resistance to academic writing. Both essays contribute powerful insights, demonstrating how postcolonial and composition theory can disrupt the dichotomy between creative and analytical writing, as well as research and teaching. They also prompt a reevaluation of the intricate power dynamics within academia, including relationships between faculty (adjunct and tenured), university institutions, lecturers, teaching assistants, instructors, administrators, and English studies vis-à-vis other academic fields.

 

The collection raises two thought-provoking questions: Is every classroom a "postcolonial classroom," and to what extent can postcolonialism and multiculturalism be intertwined? Pamela Gay's intriguing case study of a "flare-up" in a listserv discussion during her 1995 graduate course underscores the potential trauma associated with bringing issues of "voice" and postcolonialism to the forefront in the classroom. Gay argues that while such experiences can be potentially traumatizing, they also offer instructive opportunities. She emphasizes that to confront colonial inequality and strive for a more critical, dialogic pedagogy, acknowledging, tolerating, or celebrating difference is not enough—difference needs active engagement. Gay suggests that the postcolonial classroom, exemplified by her graduate course focused on "voice" and postcolonial perspectives, provides an ideal space for students and teachers to grapple with ideas and each other. Her insightful analysis of the "flare-up," along with her attention to student voices, models a pedagogical approach that prompts us to consider whether certain classrooms could serve as optimal sites for a postcolonial pedagogy that embraces the challenges of inducing struggle and potential trauma. Implicit in her exploration is the question of why not pursue such an approach, emphasizing the ethical responsibilities of teachers within the realms of postcolonial and composition studies and their shared commitment to advocating for student agency and individual expression.

 

The question of whether the encounter with Otherness can be distinctly addressed by postcolonial studies, especially given the field's lack of a clear definition, is a central concern. Bahri cautions against the common slippage between postcolonialism and multiculturalism, a phenomenon that often results in a flattening of the projects of both fields. She argues that euphemistically naming the margin can be a way of avoiding discomfort and diverting attention from the critical issues of marginality, otherness, and historical particulars that demand attention.

 

In her essay, "The New Literacy/Orality Debates: Ebonics and the Redefinition of Literacy in Multicultural Settings," C. Jan Swearingen explores the backlash against multiculturalism in schools, aiming to uncover the racist underpinnings of attempts to diffuse or suppress what she identifies as parallel projects of postcolonialism and multiculturalism. The collection concludes with Swearingen's admonition that mindlessly celebrating difference or nostalgically returning to homogeneity are equally untenable. She urges a collective search for a middle way, emphasizing the need for commitment to its construction.

 

Within the overarching theme of creating a "borderland" of possibility between theory and praxis in each essay, Swearingen's call for "a middle way" aligns with Lu's polemical call to arms. It presents a challenge, akin to what Gay might term an invitation to struggle. This challenge is directed at scholars and teachers in both postcolonial and composition studies, urging them to persist in "crossing borderlands." Swearingen's plea for a nuanced, thoughtful approach becomes a rallying point for a continued exploration of ethical and practical strategies for engaging with Otherness in a manner that transcends simplistic celebrations or dismissals, emphasizing the shared responsibilities of scholars and educators in these interconnected fields.