Postcolonial Issues in Australian Literature By Nathanael O'Reil ...

Australian literature is postcolonial and mostAustralian literature can be better understood through the application of postcolonial reading strategies, regardless of whether or not one believes that Australian society is postcolonial.

In his recent article “After Postcolonialism,” David Carter questions the continuing usefulness and relevance of postcolonial literary studies and claims that “to some extent literary postcolonialism now feels like a discipline from an earlier historical moment” (114). Carter argues that “postcolonial theory … has not proven sufficient (and in some cases not even necessary) to our studies and knowledge of colonisation, imperialism and their various ‘post’ formations” (116). Australian academics such as Carter are certainly not alone in questioning the contemporary relevance, ongoing usefulness, and future of postcolonial studies. In May 2007, PMLA, the journal of the Modern Language Association, published a roundtable discussion entitled “The End of Postcolonial Theory?” in which seven postcolonial scholars debated whether the field of postcolonial studies is “over.” Such a discussion seems remarkably premature, especially when one considers the large number of articles and books published in postcolonial studies each year⁸ and the fact that many English departments at American universities are hiring postcolonial scholars for the first time, adding courses in postcolonial theory and literature, and adding postcolonial theory and literature to their doctoral programs as a specialization and comprehensive exam field.⁹

One could argue that postcolonial studies is expanding and becoming more influential, despite its marginal status, rather than experiencing its death throes. The contributions in this volume and in numerous other recent publications demonstrate that postcolonial theory and postcolonial analyses of Australian literature continue to be useful, relevant, and innovative. In fact, the future direction of Australian literary studies and postcolonial theory and criticism are almost certainly closely intertwined. As Huggan argues in his conclusion to Australian Literature: Postcolonialism, Racism, Transnationalism,“ [P]ostcolonialism has much to offer Australian literary studies” (146). Huggan notes that “the influence of postcolonialism on Australian literary studies” has already