One point: Pinoy Poetics

Just for the record, and to clarify any implications from my previous post, I never said Cultural Studies was irrelevant. I do, however, question its concrete impact in a world where violence, poverty and suffering are an everyday reality. At the same time, I think thoughtful literature and rigorous literary criticism are two crucial ingredients for a healthy, vibrant and evolving society.

Enter Pinoy Poetics, an historic anthology that explores the broad terrain of Filipino poetry arts in the Philippines and the U.S. Edited by poet Nick Carbo, and published by Meritage Press--headed by the ever-enthuasiastic Eileen Tabios--Pinoy Poetics serves as:

". . . the line drawn in the sand by poets of Filipino heritage who have been historically ignored and made invisible by the United States of America and its literary, cultural, and academic institutions. . . . Among the important issues raised in these essays are responses to American imperialism, the postcolonial and diasporic Filipino experience, questions about historical narrative, and the uses and abuses of language imposed by colonizers." (from the publisher's launch announcement)

I've ordered my copy already. Check it.

R.