Spring 2025: THE SOUTH INDIAN NOVEL: FORM AND CONTEXTS
This graduate seminar explores the rich and diverse tradition of the South Indian novel, focusing on its historical, cultural, and literary contexts. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, the course examines novels written in major South Indian languages such as Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam. We will study the distinctive forms, themes, and stylistic innovations of these novels, paying particular attention to how they reflect regional identities, caste dynamics, gender relations, and the impact of colonialism and modernity. Additionally, the course situates the South Indian novel within broader discussions of world and postcolonial literatures, considering how these works engage with global themes of resistance, identity, and hybridity. By drawing connections with other postcolonial narratives, students will explore how South Indian novels both contribute to and challenge established frameworks within global literary studies.