Jane Hiddleston Books

Focusing on the philosophy of postcolonialism, this book delves into the complex and often contradictory ideas surrounding colonial and neocolonial power dynamics. It critically analyzes how concepts of self and other contribute to ongoing inequalities and violence, while exploring the discourses that sustain these issues. By examining these conflicting systems of thought, the work seeks to provide a deeper understanding of postcolonialism's impact on contemporary society.

Frantz Fanon is explored not only as a political thinker and psychiatrist but also as a significant literary reader. His writings are infused with literary references, making them a rich aesthetic endeavor. This examination highlights how literary texts inform his philosophical, political, and psychological analyses, serving as crucial elements in his reflections on racism, colonialism, and revolution. The book positions Fanon as a pivotal figure in postcolonial literary criticism, showcasing the interplay between his theories and the literature he engages with.

The book delves into the challenges faced by Francophone intellectuals during the decolonization period, focusing on their struggle to redefine their culture and notions of humanity. It examines the tension between rejecting colonial frameworks while grappling with the influence of French thought that shaped their identities. Through this exploration, the work highlights the complexities of cultural redefinition and the quest for authentic expression in the context of colonial legacy.

Focusing on francophone writing from North Africa as it has developed since the 1980s, Writing After Postcolonialism explores the extent to which the notion of 'postcolonialism' is still resonant for literary writers a generation or more after independence, and examines the troubled status of literature in society and politics during this period. Whilst analysing the ways in which writers from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia have reacted to political unrest and social dissatisfaction, Jane Hiddleston offers a compelling reflection on literature's ability to interrogate the postcolonial nation as well as on its own uncertain role in the current context. The book sets out both to situate the recent generation of francophone writers in North Africa in relation to contemporary politics, to postcolonial theory, and evolving notions of 'world literature, and to probe the ways in which a new and highly sophisticated set of writers reflect on the very notion of 'the literary' during this period of transition.

For more than fifty years, Assia Djebar, former Silver Chair of French at New York University and winner of the Neustadt Prize for Contribution to World Literature, used the tools of poetry, fiction, drama and film to vividly portray the world of Muslim women in all its complexity.