The debate about world literature and its publishing dimensions: The Caribbean as an example

Authors

  • Gesine Müller Universidad de Colonia

Abstract

This article contrasts the concepts of “world literature” and “literatures of the world” against the backdrop of current debates about redefining the concept of world literature in a way that is contemporary and appropriate for our globalized world. The productive tension between these two theories is linked with the material aspect of literature, meaning the specific mechanisms of selection within the book market. Focusing on the example of Caribbean literatures, this work identifies, within publishing practices, a new interplay in the use of the concepts of “world literature” and “literatures of the world”: a programmatic reorientation of global publishers is emerging that is reassessing literary traditions formerly declared as peripheral.

Keywords:

world literature, literatures of the world, Caribbean literatures, publishing industry, globalization