What is it about?
This coauthored essay explores how the American West has been represented in world literature. David Rio and Christopher Conway argue that the ethnic diversity and multiculturalism of the American West make it an international space rather than a purely "American" one. They also underline the continuous presence of the American West in world literature, which has both promoted and challenged American myths.
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Why is it important?
"The Case for Transnationalism in the American Literary West" emphasizes the importance of thinking about the American West against narrow, nationalist definitions that exclude certain groups and cultural trends.
Perspectives
I had the privilege of coauthoring this essay with my colleague David Rio of the University of the Basque Country, Spain. Working on this project was also deeply rewarding because our essay is a preface to a collection of critical analyses by several scholars that we respect very much. Besides containing essays by David and myself, the collection features essays by Neil Campbell, Marek Paryz, Karoline Aksnes, and Victoria Addis.
Christopher Conway
University of Texas at Arlington
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Introduction: The Case for Transnationalism in the American Literary West, Western American Literature, January 2019, Project Muse,
DOI: 10.1353/wal.2019.0033.
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