Read Our Interview With Dr Tracy Prince here: -

An Interview With Tracy Prince - Author of 'Culture Wars in British Literature: Multiculturalism and National Identity'

From the interview:-

AmeriCymru: Hi Tracy and many thanks for agreeing to talk to AmeriCymru. How would you characterize the theme or central thesis of your recent book 'Culture Wars ' ?

Tracy: Thanks! Ive appreciated learning about the good work AmeriCymru does to promote Welsh writers in English. Good stuff!

In my book I argue that British literature is more than Anglo-English literature, despite depictions by London literary elite and anthologies. When teaching and researching 20th and 21st century British literature, I was frustrated to see that literary anthologies and public discussions about Britains literature and identity still often exclude ethnic- minority writers and often remain fixated on an Anglo-English versi on of Britishness. My book analyzes who is left out of the British literary canon and explores the culture wars surrounding the discussion of Britishness (highlighting how a white Anglo-English image of British identity has been promoted and assumed and its supposed demise grieved over).

Heres the blurb my publisher put on the back of the book:

The past century's culture wars that Britain has been consumed by, but that few North Americans seem aware of, have resulted in revised notions of Britishness and British literature. Yet literary anthologies remain anchored to an archaic Anglo-English interpretation of British literature. Conflicts have been played out over specific national vs. British identity (some residents prefer to describe themselves as being from Scotland, England, Wales, or Northern Ireland instead of Britain), in debates over immigration, race, ethnicity, class, and gender, and in arguments over British literature. These debates are strikingly detailed in such chapters as: "The Difficulty Defining 'Black British'," "British Jewish Writers" and "Xenophobia and the Booker Prize." Connections are also drawn between civil rights movements in the U.S. and UK. This generalist cultural study is a lively read and a fascinating glimpse into Britain's changing identity as reflected in 20th and 21st century British literature.

READ MORE HERE

There are many "cultures" in/connected to Cymru. One comes with a glass of brown nectar and a red rugby arm lifting; one is on its knees singing for the souls of the red-armed sinners; another thinks it can think itself into view; another writes about all the above. But just like the Flowerpot Men, the gardener never knew they were there.

Great work Ceri! A little visibility won't hurt the diversity that is Wales.

P.S. Flowerpot Men?

As an American English lit major of Welsh heritage, I very much appreciated this discussion.

Although we didn't do the eisteddfod this year, it was a total BLAST! The events went off well and it was wonderful to get to meet Mike Jenkins and Phil Rowlands in person and to hang out with them and with Chris Keil. Thank you to everyone who made this happen: Dr. Tracy Prince, Mike Jenkins, Chris Keil and Phil Rowlands, Sarah Woodbury and the wonderful Jonathon Morrow at Mt Hood College!

A thoroughly enjoyable and informative session. Thanks all round.

I know Mike Jenkins, good bloke, great writer

Fascinating stuff!

We will be adding a blog post tomorrow with pics and a short account of the event.