ETHN 51: Intro to South Asian Experience in the U.S. (Nanda)

In the past four decades the field of Asian American literary and cultural studies has grown enormously, expanding its areas of inquiry beyond the reflections on national identity and citizenship to encompass such issues as transnational and diasporic identities and communities; the workings of imperialism; the intersectionality of race, gender, and sexuality; and social justice/human rights in a global context. This project is the largest and most comprehensive collection of scholarship on Asian American literature and culture to date. With original essays on everything from Asian American literary classics to experimental theater, from K-pop to online gaming, the Oxford Encyclopedia of Asian American Literature and Culture guides both established scholars and readers new to this field through the extensive landscape of Asian American writing and cultural production. One hundred essays on varied historical periods, geographical locales, and artistic modes offer an extensive examination of racial representation and activism, interdisciplinary and comparative approaches to literary work, ethnic communities, space and place, transnational and transpacific flows, and genres such as speculative fiction, the detective novel, and melodrama. Along with literary works from the late-19th century to the 21st century, the Oxford Encyclopedia of Asian American Literature and Culture covers a wide-ranging selection of Asian American theatre, dance, music, visual arts, film, television, and media. With its illuminating and profound commentary on Asian American writing and artistic practice, the volumes survey the historical foundations of this rich field, showing the exciting and profound new directions that currently drive the study of Asian American literary and cultural traditions.

As a distinct area of literary study, Asian American literature now enjoys a level of critical recognition that was unimaginable when academic interest in the field began modestly some 25 years ago. Part of this recognition stems from the increasing contributions of Asian American novelists, whose works continue to capture growing levels of popular attention. By the early 1970s, anthologies of creative writing by Asian Americans began to appear, and there are now almost two dozen of them. Since then, numerous Asian American writers, such as Amy Tan, Michael Ondaatje, and Bharati Mukherjee, have gained considerable critical and commercial success.
The publication of this reference work reflects the new academic status of Asian American literature. Included are alphabetically arranged entries for 70 Asian American novelists. Since the historical and current experiences of Asians in Canada and the United States are substantially similar, the volume covers authors from both countries. While the majority of the writers profiled in the volume have East Asian backgrounds, some have South Asian or West Asian origins. Each entry is written by an expert contributor and provides a short biography, a discussion of major works and themes, a summary of the novelist's critical reception, and separate bibliographies of primary and secondary sources. The volume concludes with a selected, general bibliography.

In the late 19th century, Asian American drama made its debut with the spotlight firmly on the lives and struggles of Asians in North America, rather than on the cultures and traditions of the Asian homeland. Today, Asian American playwrights continue to challenge the limitations of established theatrical conventions and direct popular attention toward issues and experiences that might otherwise be ignored or marginalized. This reference highlights the careers and works of 52 American playwrights of origins from India, Pakistan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Japan, Korea, and China. Entries are arranged alphabetically and are written by expert contributors. Each entry includes a brief biography, a discussion of major works and themes, a summary of the dramatist's critical reception, and a bibliography of primary and secondary sources. The volume closes with a selected, general bibliography, which includes anthologies, critical works, and periodicals.