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VOL. 12, ISSUE 1 (2026)
Colonialism, nationalism, and the evolution of Indian writing in English
Authors
Rajwinder Kaur Sekhon, Dr. Poonam Gautam
Abstract
One of the most significant concerns of postcolonial Indian English
literature is the emergence of modern subjectivity under colonial and
postcolonial conditions. Colonial modernity introduced new forms of
rationality, bureaucracy, education, and individualism that disrupted
traditional modes of social organization. Indian English writers frequently
represent characters struggling to reconcile these modern forms of selfhood
with inherited cultural frameworks. Literary representations of modern
subjectivity often reveal deep ambivalence. While modernity promises freedom,
progress, and self-determination, it also generates alienation, fragmentation,
and moral uncertainty. Through such depictions, Indian English literature
critiques the universalizing claims of Western modernity and highlights the
culturally specific ways in which modern subjectivity is experienced in
postcolonial India.
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Pages:189-191
How to cite this article:
Rajwinder Kaur Sekhon, Dr. Poonam Gautam "Colonialism, nationalism, and the evolution of Indian writing in English". International Journal of English Research, Vol 12, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 189-191
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