Comments on: A Language for the Literature http://wowlit.org/blog/2009/08/03/a-language-for-the-literature/ International Collection of Children's and Adolescent Literature Thu, 10 May 2012 01:00:31 +0000 hourly 1 By: Ragina Shearer http://wowlit.org/blog/2009/08/03/a-language-for-the-literature/comment-page-1/#comment-8061 Ragina Shearer Sat, 05 Sep 2009 18:28:43 +0000 http://wowlit.org/blog/?p=131#comment-8061 I have been struggling, trying to determine which is which, they are all so overlapping. As a teacher, I enjoy sharing "multicultural" literature with my students, but as I do this I have tried to affirm that each of them comes from a culture so to speak. I have found Anglo American children find it hard to understand that they are a culture and a part of a multicultural society, each culture should be valued. Perhaps I see multicultural literature study as an overview of all the different cultures, which would include Anglos. If it does not are we making them something special and unique, on top of every one else and the "normal" with which to determine is everyone else multicultural? As Americans I feel we view international literature as any literature other than from the US. Yet looking at it from a global perspective, the US would be included as international. I really am struggling to find the separation among these three (multicultural, international, and global). Every place I read seems to have as overlapping an answer as I perceive myself. What do you see as a simple straightforward definition to each of these? I have been struggling, trying to determine which is which, they are all so overlapping. As a teacher, I enjoy sharing “multicultural” literature with my students, but as I do this I have tried to affirm that each of them comes from a culture so to speak. I have found Anglo American children find it hard to understand that they are a culture and a part of a multicultural society, each culture should be valued. Perhaps I see multicultural literature study as an overview of all the different cultures, which would include Anglos. If it does not are we making them something special and unique, on top of every one else and the “normal” with which to determine is everyone else multicultural? As Americans I feel we view international literature as any literature other than from the US. Yet looking at it from a global perspective, the US would be included as international. I really am struggling to find the separation among these three (multicultural, international, and global). Every place I read seems to have as overlapping an answer as I perceive myself. What do you see as a simple straightforward definition to each of these?

]]> By: Holly Johnson http://wowlit.org/blog/2009/08/03/a-language-for-the-literature/comment-page-1/#comment-8060 Holly Johnson Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:25:48 +0000 http://wowlit.org/blog/?p=131#comment-8060 Hey! Great comments, Barb and Janine. Your questions are as provoking as the ones with which I started! Barb, I see multicultural literature as a body of literature and so when we talk one text, it would seem difficult to think of it as multicultural literature. There are times, however, when there is cross-cultural engagements or interactions, including conflicts, that could have folks suggesting the book is multicultural. Tough call. I agree with the assessment of each book being a cultural artifact, and that each text should be considered such. Take a look at my next entry about that and social responsibility! Janine, the need to define is indeed the question that I am left considering. I like the idea that it depends on the usage of the text as a way of working with the concept of international literature. I think any text could be "regular" and also international depending upon context. You example of the text being read by a student born in one country but studying in another addresses the idea of context and usage for me. Is the student reading it for a class assignment and how was it introduced by the teacher? Am I getting too detailed and worrisome, I wonder? Great question to ponder though, so thanks, Janine, for your provocation! Hey! Great comments, Barb and Janine. Your questions are as provoking as the ones with which I started! Barb, I see multicultural literature as a body of literature and so when we talk one text, it would seem difficult to think of it as multicultural literature. There are times, however, when there is cross-cultural engagements or interactions, including conflicts, that could have folks suggesting the book is multicultural. Tough call. I agree with the assessment of each book being a cultural artifact, and that each text should be considered such. Take a look at my next entry about that and social responsibility!

Janine, the need to define is indeed the question that I am left considering. I like the idea that it depends on the usage of the text as a way of working with the concept of international literature. I think any text could be “regular” and also international depending upon context. You example of the text being read by a student born in one country but studying in another addresses the idea of context and usage for me. Is the student reading it for a class assignment and how was it introduced by the teacher? Am I getting too detailed and worrisome, I wonder? Great question to ponder though, so thanks, Janine, for your provocation!

]]> By: Janine Schall http://wowlit.org/blog/2009/08/03/a-language-for-the-literature/comment-page-1/#comment-8059 Janine Schall Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:49:31 +0000 http://wowlit.org/blog/?p=131#comment-8059 I've been thinking about the same issue as I work with manuscripts submitted for WOW Stories: Connections from the Classroom since the intent of the journal is to show how teachers are using international literature and helping students make intercultural connections. Is a book "multicultural literature" in one context and "international literature" in another context? Can a book be just a regular book in some situations, but an international book in others? If a child is born in Ireland, attends school in Mauritius, and is reading a book about African-Americans that was published in the United States how do we define that book? (Do we need to define it?) I’ve been thinking about the same issue as I work with manuscripts submitted for WOW Stories: Connections from the Classroom since the intent of the journal is to show how teachers are using international literature and helping students make intercultural connections. Is a book “multicultural literature” in one context and “international literature” in another context? Can a book be just a regular book in some situations, but an international book in others? If a child is born in Ireland, attends school in Mauritius, and is reading a book about African-Americans that was published in the United States how do we define that book? (Do we need to define it?)

]]> By: Barbara Thompson Book http://wowlit.org/blog/2009/08/03/a-language-for-the-literature/comment-page-1/#comment-8058 Barbara Thompson Book Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:12:59 +0000 http://wowlit.org/blog/?p=131#comment-8058 This issue has been one that has made me think since a discussion I was a part of back in the 1990s at U of A with Richard Ruiz. He maintained that every book in and of itself is a cultural article related to the environment in which it was produced, and therefore there could not be "multicultural" literature because a book can't be more than one culture. So the question is are we talking about groups of books or a book in and of itself? I've never really been able to decide. I know my students think of multicultural as anything that has a character that is not of their ethnicity. Thus when I started talking about international literature, that gave them pause. Good luck with your quest. This issue has been one that has made me think since a discussion I was a part of back in the 1990s at U of A with Richard Ruiz. He maintained that every book in and of itself is a cultural article related to the environment in which it was produced, and therefore there could not be “multicultural” literature because a book can’t be more than one culture. So the question is are we talking about groups of books or a book in and of itself? I’ve never really been able to decide. I know my students think of multicultural as anything that has a character that is not of their ethnicity. Thus when I started talking about international literature, that gave them pause. Good luck with your quest.

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