Chapter 28
The Body and Multiethnic Literature of the United States
Joanna Ziarkowska,
Joanna Ziarkowska
Search for more papers by this authorJoanna Ziarkowska,
Joanna Ziarkowska
Search for more papers by this authorBook Editor(s):Gary Totten,
Gary Totten
Search for more papers by this authorFirst published: 14 December 2023
Abstract
This chapter offers an overview of some of the uses of the body in multiethnic literature of the United States and traces a more recent shift in which the body is viewed on a molecular and genetic level, thus offering new perspectives on how to understand racism and a new incarnation of colonialism in the form of biocolonialism. In the Western tradition, one of the key concepts that has been reproduced in the humanities and social sciences is the body–mind dualism. The focus on the use of body metaphors extends beyond the investigations of the meanings of US citizenship and belonging to explore transnational contexts. The theme of the body as victimized by the violent past is a frequent motif in multiethnic literature that addresses US involvement in armed conflicts. The interest in DNA research and its various implications strongly reverberates in US multiethnic literatures.
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