Continuum Comedy Fantasy and Colonialism

This work assesses the role and character of comedy and fantasy in colonial societies from India to Ireland, Australia to Cuba, Africa to North America. It deals with both oral and written traditions, the history of comic and fantastic discourse, visual, theatrical and literary representations.;This title answers such questions as "What are the differing traditions of comic discourse in Western and non-Western societies?", "How is humour and fantasy culture specific?", "In what ways do local traditions of humour and fantasy adapt to imperial invasion?", "How have colonisers used humour to deal with unfamiliar and sometimes hostile conditions?" and "What is the relationship between the fantastic, the parodic and the satirical in the create of a sense of national character?". About the Author Graeme Harper is Dean of The Honors College at Oakland University, Michigan, USA. He has authored over 20 books, including works of fiction and nonfiction, and over 140 articles and chapters. His numerous awards include the Australian National Book Council Award (for New Fiction) and the Premier’s Award, among others, and scholarships and fellowships from the ORS, The British Academy, AHRC, BBC, Emory University, the University of Texas Medical Branch and the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.