Crossing borders : essays on literature, culture, and society in honor of Amritjit Singh

Crossing Borders is a gathering of twenty original, interdisciplinary essays on the paradigm of borders in African American literature, multi-ethnic U.S. studies, and South Asian studies. These essays by established and mid-career scholars from around the globe employ a variety of approaches to the idea of “border crossings” and represent important contributions to the discourses on modernity, diasporic mobility, populism, migration, exile, sub-nation, trans-nation, as well as the formation of nationalities, communities, and identities. Borders, in these contexts, signify social and national inequities and hierarchies and also the ways to challenge and transgress entrenched barriers sanctioned by habit, custom, and law. The volume also honors and celebrates the life and work of Amritjit Singh as a teacher, mentor, author, scholar, and editor over half a century. Contents 6 Preface 10 Introduction • Tapan Basu and Tasneem Shahnaaz 12 Part I: Multiculturalism and Its Discontents 24 1 Out of Line: Shifting Border Paradigms in Cooper, Morrison, and Yamashita • Silvia Schultermandl 26 2 Wave or Particle?: Crossing Borders in Ruth Ozeki’s novel A Tale for the Time Being (2013) • Peter Schmidt 40 3 Translating across the Borders: Sui Sin Far and Other Interethnic/Interstitial Asian American Subjects • Martha J. Cutter 54 4 Dancing with Italians: Chicago’s Italians in Fact, and in the Fiction of Willard Motley • Fred Gardaphe 70 Part II: Nation and Sub-Nation 86 5 Creating Kashmir: Gender, Politics, and Violence in Meena Arora Nayak’s Endless Rain • Robin E. Field 88 6 Drawing the Durand Line: Pakistani Afghans, Borders, and Transnational Insecurity • Zubeda Jalalzai 102 7 Teaching Giovanni’s Room in the Shadow of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Denaturalizing Privilege • Catherine Rottenberg 118 Part III: Diaspora and Trans-Nation 130 8 Diasporic Subjectivity: Dhan Gopal Mukerji’s Caste and Outcast and Sadhu Singh Dhami’s Maluka • Nalini Iyer 132 9 A Partition without Borders: Diasporic Readings of Clear Light of Day and Train to Pakistan • Rahul K. Gairola 142 10 Caste, Race, and Intellectual History: Notes on a Singular Modernity • Auritro Majumder 158 Part IV: Gendered Identities 170 11 Jessie Fauset and the Historiography of the Harlem Renaissance • Cheryl A. Wall 172 12 Space and the Shape of a Life: Placing Nella Larsen • Thadious M. Davis 188 13 The Sexual Commodities, Racial Economies, and Critical Oversights of Felice Swados’s House of Fury • Ayesha K. Hardison 206 Part V: Art: Between the Popular and the Populist 220 14 Langston Hughes and the Challenges of Populist Art • Arnold Rampersad 222 15 Orality, History, and Narration: The Aesthetics of Listening • Jasbir Jain 238 16 Romare Bearden’s Li’l Dan the Drummer Boy: Coloring a Story of the Civil War • Robert B. Stepto 248 Part VI: Journeys across Art and Life 256 17 “Heritage” in America: A Literary Stroll • Werner Sollors 258 18 What Is Ralph Ellison All About?: A Retrospective View • Charles Johnson 274 19 Writing across Borders: Race and Gender in Elleke Boehmer’s Fiction • Lynda Ng 282 20 A Native Son Abroad: A Conversation with Amritjit Singh • Nibir K. Ghosh 292 Epilogue: Amritjit Singh: Reflections and Stories 308 Index 354 About the Editors and Contributors 370 Crossing Borders Is A Gathering Of Twenty Original, Interdisciplinary Essays On The Paradigm Of Borders In African American Literature, Multi-ethnic U.s. Studies, And South Asian Studies. These Essays By Established And Mid-career Scholars From Around The Globe Employ A Variety Of Approaches To The Idea Of Border Crossings And Represent Important Contributions To The Discourses On Modernity, Diasporic Mobility, Populism, Migration, Exile, Sub-nation, Trans-nation, And The Formation Of Nationalities, Communities, And Identities. Borders, In These Contexts, Signify Social And National Inequities And Hierarchies And Also The Ways To Challenge And Transgress Entrenched Barriers Sanctioned By Habit, Custom, And Law. The Volume Also Honors And Celebrates The Life And Work Of Amritjit Singh As A Teacher, Mentor, Author, Scholar, And Editor Over Half A Century. -- Back Cover. Preface; Introduction; Part I: Multiculturalism And Its Discontents; 1 Out Of Line; 2 Wave Or Particle?; 3 Translating Across The Borders; 4 Dancing With Italians; Part Ii: Nation And Sub-nation; 5 Creating Kashmir; 6 Drawing The Durand Line; 7 Teaching Giovanni's Room In The Shadow Of The Israeli-palestinian Conflict; Part Iii: Diaspora And Trans-nation; 8 Diasporic Subjectivity; 9 A Partition Without Borders; 10 Caste, Race, And Intellectual History; Part Iv: Gendered Identities; 11 Jessie Fauset And The Historiography Of The Harlem Renaissance; 12 Space And The Shape Of A Life 13 The Sexual Commodities, Racial Economies, And Critical Oversights Of Felice Swados's House Of Furypart V: Art: Between The Popular And The Populist; 14 Langston Hughes And The Challenges Of Populist Art; 15 Orality, History, And Narration; 16 Romare Bearden's Li'l Dan The Drummer Boy; Part Vi: Journeys Across Art And Life; 17 Heritage In America; 18 What Is Ralph Ellison All About?; 19 Writing Across Borders; 20 A Native Son Abroad; Epilogue; Index; About The Editors And Contributors Edited By Tapan Basu, Tasneem Shahnaaz. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Crossing Borders engages with the emergent field of borders studies, particularly in relation to North America, South Asia, and the transnational spaces they continue to embrace. While multicultural theory tends to emphasize specific and individual cultures, border studies examines the intersection of cultures and the resulting effects.