Chilean Canadian Literature in English: Memories of Home and Belonging, from the Postcolonial to Decolonial Practice
Abstract
This dissertation aims to present a compelling exploration of identity and cultural hybridity, and of the intricate tapestry of diasporic experiences. As such, it delves into the significance of Chilean Canadian literature written directly in English, with a specific focus on the works authored by female writers as part and parcel of an emerging diasporic literature. Employing a postcolonial and hemispheric lens, this research employs a multidimensional methodology embedded in cultural memory, border studies, and representational intersectionality. Within this framework, this study attempts to unravel how Chilean Canadian literature written in English might contribute to a repository of Chilean Canadian literary memories. In doing so, it traces the evolution of the concept of home––as experienced and described by various protagonists across different generations since the initial arrival of political exiles in 1973 to the present day––as well as these protagonists’ expressed sense of belonging. I contend that through these diasporic intergenerational narratives, an imaginative landscape takes shape, illuminating the intricate interplay of identity and cultural consolidation. This is an imaginary that now expands to encompass other racialized groups, notably Indigenous communities from Chile and Canada, as it continues to define and contest the contours of Canadian Latinidad. Again, by framing these literary narratives as part of the production of a multigenerational diaspora, we emphasize the connection of the Chilean Canadian community to its roots and elucidate the evolving concepts of home and belonging. Moreover, we consider how these concepts may continue to evolve across generations in the future.