 |
 |
|||
 |
||||
|
"Chinese"
Literature
|
||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Australian "Chinese" LiteratureWritings produced in English by Australia's writers of Chinese descent form a unique part of Australian literature. On the one hand, there is a visible difference between the writings produced by these writers and those produced by Australia's writers of European descent, in terms of their representations of "Chineseness" and different forms of "Chinese" cultural identity in writing. This is despite the fact that both groups of writers exhibit a significant amount of Australian local content and geographical specificity in their works, because they are based in Australia. On the other hand, as we turn to compare writings produced in English by Australia's writers of Chinese descent with those produced by their counterparts based in other parts of the world, we find both broad similarities and specific differences. All writers of Chinese descent, in Australia and elsewhere, depict individual and group experiences of negotiating between different cultures. But only those writers who are based in Australia can speak of Australian issues and observe what are commonly believed to be "mainstream" Anglophone Australian social and cultural characteristics. All these comparisons place Australia's writers of Chinese descent in an unusual position within both Australian and Chinese literary arenas. The result is that whenever we read writings produced in English by Australia's writers of Chinese descent, we need to consider them not only as part of Australian literature but also as part of international diasporic Chinese literature. This is why, here at Taiwan.com.au Portal, we place Australia's writers of Chinese descent together with both Australia's writers of European descent who depict "Chineseness" and "Chinese" cultural identity in their writings and those writers of Chinese descent who are based in other parts of the world. We hope that this position will help our readers better understand the unique nature of English-language writings produced by Australia's writers of Chinese descent.
P.S. We would like to invite our readers to submit their own reviews of the books listed here in Taiwan.com.au Portal, and/or to recommend more books written by writers of Chinese descent in Australia and other parts of the world. Books about writers and/or individuals of Chinese descent, and about China and/or Asia in general, are also welcome. Please contact us via our email address: Thank you. We look forward to hearing from you.
|
||
