다문화주의적 사회를 위한 ‘지역 정전’ 확립과 필리핀계 미국인 작품 읽기

The Establishment of a ‘Local Canon’ for Multicultural Society and Reading of Filipino American Literary Texts

This study explores the possibility of the establishment of a ‘local canon’ for Korean colleges. Traditionally English departments in Korean colleges and universities have taught a canon comprised of the ‘Great Books’ of British and American literatures. Due to changes in US society and the canonization of women's, racial, and ethnic literatures, American academic fields have been compelled to reflect those changes in curriculum. Korean universities have had to expand the established canon and include newly canonized works as well. In addition, Korean society is becoming more multicultural as a result of the increase in Chinese Koreans, migrant workers, and foreign brides. At this point, I argue for the formation of a local canon for small colleges in accordance with the conditions in which a college is placed, the expansion of the canon, and the changes in society. In the later part of this study, the methodology for a ‘local canon’ formation is examined through the discussion about two Filipino American literary texts, Dogeaters by Jessica Hagedorn and Talk-Story by Jeannie Barroga. Specifically, I suggest that these texts should be read from a postcolonial perspective. Unlike a European-centered reading of the texts, a postcolonial reading of them will provide students with plural and resistant perspectives against dominant western ideologies.