Caribbean literature

Through an exploration of shared stories, hauntings and the sea, this study outlines the idea that an ideological shift is a necessary first step to address the impact of colonialism in the publishing industry. This thesis draws sustained attention to the ways in which colonialism has an inextricable material effect on the publishing industry, and focuses on the myriad ways this past material and ideological holdovers shape the frameworks of book production. The vestiges of colonialism continue to be carried forward as a constitutive element of the present, creating a complex situation of material forces and conditions that need to be negotiated to create a more inclusive and diverse literary landscape that accurately reflects the experiences and voices of marginalised communities.Referring to something both subtler and more apparent than reformation, this thesis argues that a shift in ideology is necessary to address the impact of colonialism on literary culture. The shift proposed by this thesis is inspired by the ocean, specifically the Caribbean Sea. As it invites a rethinking of traditional capitalist publishing practices by acknowledging the historical limitations and systemic inequalities at the emergence of postcolonial West Indian literature. This shift involves moving towards alternative literary production and study that are more generative, appreciative, and beneficial to minoritised groups whose histories make themselves known in the present, inscribed into our stories in an accumulation of tides.

Author Keywords: Hauntology, literary situation, Postcolonial literature, Tidalectics, West Indian Literature