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Postcolonial theories challenged in sixth anniversary lecture

23 July 2008

Professor Harish Trivedi

Dr Chandani Lokuge

The Centre for Postcolonial Writing has celebrated its sixth anniversary with an inspiring lecture from Professor Harish Trivedi, one of the leading scholars in the field.

Professor Trivedi is Professor of English at the University of Delhi, Vice–President of the Comparative Literature Association of India and the acclaimed author of Colonial Transactions: English Literature and India.

During the lecture Professor Trivedi outlined his concerns with the accepted model of postcolonial theory in the west, arguing that there was little effort made to discover or translate postcolonial literature written in languages other than English. The lecture was followed by a lively panel discussion.

The Centre for Postcolonial Writing, which forms part of the School of English, Communications and Performance Studies in the Faculty of Arts, was established in 2002 to critically examine the period from the moment of European colonisation to the present day. It is one of the first in the world to integrate creative writing with critical academic assessment.

Since its inception the centre has formed research exchanges with Oxford and Harvard and working with leading world publishers such as Routledge on long-term research projects.

Director Dr Chandani Lokuge said it was great to be able to celebrate the centre’s anniversary through such lively debate on postcolonial theory.

"The centre has made rich contributions to postcolonial studies and has evolved into a vibrant, international research base," Dr Lokuge said.

"In the years to come it will continue to contribute to the field of postcolonial studies and will no doubt make many innovations in this vital academic discourse."

For more information visit the Centre for Postcolonial Writing website.