Simon Featherstone's "Postcolonial Cultures" is a clearly written introduction to the study of postcolonial cultures, and it broadens the reach of postcolonial theory and criticism.
The book covers current topics in the field, such as nationhood, hybridity and identity, globalism and regionalism, diasporas, the politics of gender, and cultural diversity and difference. These subjects are discussed as theories developed in a variety of disciplines and through case studies that emphasize a range of cultural practices, including popular music, literature, tourism, and oral performances.
The case studies focus upon postcolonial Britain, India, the English-speaking Caribbean, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Three chapters discuss particular modes of cultural production and performance: music, film, dance, and sports. The remaining three chapters deal with wider issues of memory, land, and alternative world-views.
Featherstone is equally at home and authoritative discussing the dynamics of tourism or museum curatorship as well as novels, films, and music. Balancing a broad survey of the field with expert, brief analyses of representative studies, this overview allows readers to grasp the complexities of postcolonial cultures.
Simon Featherstone, Cambridge, United Kingdom, is senior lecturer in English at Anglia Polytechnic University.