The Modern Period

In recent years, many of the most celebrated and widely-read authors of postcolonial literature have produced novels that engage with a variety of sub-genres within the field of crime fiction, including the “hardboiled” detective novel, the roman noir, and the serial killer novel. What might account for this literary turn toward the dystopian, toward texts constructed around mysteries and often marked by shocking descriptions of extreme violence? In what ways do the genres of crime fiction allow writers to engage with long and complex colonial and post-colonial histories, and to address issues of social, political, and economic injustice? To what extent is storytelling itself implicated in these narratives of crime? In what ways do writers push the generic boundaries of crime fiction, and to what ends? How do bodies function as sites of textual meaning in crime fiction, and how do crime narratives complicate notions of identity and identification? In this seminar, we will consider these questions and others through readings of several novels whose narratives emerge out of different historical, cultural, and geographic contexts. Please note: because electronic devices make interesting conversation difficult, students are asked to come to class with paper copies of the course reader and books. In addition to secondary readings, texts to be considered include:

Patrick Chamoiseau, Solibo Magnificent (Anchor)
Yasmina Khadra, Morituri (Toby Crime)
Alain Mabanckou, African Psycho (Soft Skull Press)
Michael Ondaatje, Anil’s Ghost (Vintage)
Mukoma Wa Thiongo, Nairobi Heat (Melville International Crime)