Mapping Contemporary Literature from Hawai'i

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This study is the first to situate contemporary literature from Hawai'i in a comprehensive framework of current theoretical background, comparative surveys of other relevant literatures, and Hawaii's literary history. Its main thesis is that the literature resulting from the islands' history, the pervasive outside representation, and the unique multicultural setup of the population is fundamentally a Local one, place-bound, ethnicity-aware, expressed in a variety of linguistic choices. Contemporary literature from Hawai'i is an exploration of Local identity, providing a multitude of answers to the question "What is a Hawaiian?" Based on a Cultural Studies approach, it employs postcolonialism as a reading and writing strategy. Three other literatures are examined as comparative spaces, namely the Caribbean, the South Pacific, and Asian America. After tracing the development of literature in Hawai'i, the study groups contemporary writings thematically, under the headings "History, " "Ethnicity, " "Language, " and "Place." It shows, that despite all variety and dissension, a common, Local way of writing has evolved.