Critical Theory, Cultural Politics, and Latin American Narrative

This volume is a collection of eight of the papers presented at The First Biennial Conference of The Latin American Consortium, entitled "Narrative Practices and Cultural Discourse," held in 1990 at the University of Notre Dame. Taking a specific Latin American focus, the essays test an eclectic array of works in Latin American narrative literature against concepts and issues in poststructuralist critical theory.

The contributors cross many regional, cultural, and disciplinary boundaries. Their essays encompass such timely issues as the possible correlations among postructuralism, postindustrialism, postmodernism, postcolonialism, and the Latin American literary postboom, as well as how Latin American writing has both responded to and participated in these socio-cultural developments. One commonality exists among all the essays: none of them treat works of Latin American narrative literature independent of the historical, critical, and theoretical discourses that have built up around them.

By initiating a more direct dialogue among critical theorists, Latin American writers and intellectuals, and scholars of Latin American culture and society, this stimulating collection strive to promote a more accurate assessment and realistic articulation of the significance of Latin American literature, and of the cultural impact its narratives have on local, national, and international levels.

Contributors: John Beverley, Fernando Coronil, Roberto Gonzalez Echevarria, Ricardo Gutiérrez Mouat, Fredric Jameson, Amy Kaminsky, Mary Louise Pratt, Luisa Valenzuela.

Steven M. Bell is Associate Professor of Spanish at the University of Arkansas. A two-time Fulbright Fellowship grant recipient, Dr. Bell’s research and teaching have been focused primarily on modern Latin American and Latino literature, with specialties in Mexican Literature, Modern Latin American Fiction, and Critical Theory. He has published in national journals and international periodicals, and presented many national and international papers, on these subjects.

Albert H. LeMay (d. 2004) was Associate Professional Specialist and Concurrent Associate Professor of English at the University of Notre Dame.

Leonard Orr is Professor of English at Washington State University. He is the author or editor of thirteen books of literary criticism or critical theory. And he was named the Lewis E. and Stella G. Buchanan Distinguished Professor of English (2005-08).