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Prof. Liu Shusen Presents a Keynote Paper on New Zealand Literature
The New Zealand Centre Director，Professor Liu Shusen presented a keynote paper entitled “Contemporary New Zealand Literature and Ongoing Construction of a Multicultural Community” in the opening session of the Third Annual Forum on the Frontier Research of Comtemporary English Literature 2021 organized by Remin University of China on November 20, 2021. More than 480 participants attended this forum. As Director of New Zealand Centre, Professor Liu Shusen was invited to present a keynote paper entitled “Contemporary New Zealand Literature and Ongoing Construction of a Multicultural Community” in the opening session of the Third Annual Forum on the Frontier Research of Comtemporary English Literature 2021 organized by Remin University of China on November 20, 2021. More than 480 participants attended this forum online.
On the basis of a statistical and interpretive account of the publication of novels, plays, poems and other genres, Professor Liu Shusen’s paper first presents an overview of the rise of New Zealand literature since the debut of the 20th century, as represented by the internationally renowned novelist Katherine Mansfield and some of her contemporaries, and the prosperous growth of contemporary New Zealand novels and poetry in the wake of the innovative writers of the 1960s such as Frank Sargeson. The paper highlights several writers who significantly promoted the prestige of New Zealand literature in the circles of world literature, including Keri Hume as New Zealand’s first winner of the Booker Prize, the novelist and the youngest winner of the Booker Prize Eleanor Carton, and a few distinguished Maori writers including Witi Ihimaela and Tina Makereti.
On top of those literary achievements, the paper discusses the unique values and significance of New Zealand literature in continuously building up a multicultural community. Historically, the prosperity of the national literature proves to be a vital driving force in successfully strengthening the construction of New Zealand as a major developed country and a multicultural community in the South Pacific region. Among more than 100 papers presented at the forum, Professor Liu’s presentation is the only one that discusses New Zealand literature, including its recent developements as well as the dynamic role of the New Zealand governmental agencies, Academy of New Zealand Writers, National prizes for literature, literary magazines, and writing scholarships for the productive development of New Zealand literature. Besides, Professor Liu aslo discusses outstanding Maori writers and Chinese writers active in New Zealand since the 21st century, as a noticeable feature of contemporary New Zealand literature. |
