The culture of a dominant Eurocentric minority has historically been the norm in the formation of a national Dominican identity. Afro-Caribbean traditions have been notably excluded from this national history, despite their obvious centrality to people’s everyday lives. This book presents contemporary Dominican and diasporic literature and intellectual production from the perspective of a fully assumed cultural diversity. Thus, contemporary literature contributes to a new understanding of Dominican cultural identity.

Divergent Dictions is by far the most complete study of the issues of racial/ethnic and national identity and its literary conspirators. In this updated and translated version of his original monograph in Spanish, Rodriguez also provides a superb introduction to some of the lesser-known Dominican American authors. This book is a must-have for every humanities library and should be a required text in courses on Hispanic Caribbean literature. In addition, this study of culture vis-à-vis literature is appropriate for Latin American Studies, African Diaspora Studies, Anthropology, and U.S. Latino Studies Programs. This translation finally makes Rodriguex’s research accessible to an academic English-speaking readership.—Dawn Stinchcomb, New West Indian Guide

178pp., softcover, 6 x 9 inches. 

Cat. #: CSP6540
ISBN #: 9781584326540