Cirrus@Austlit

'Contemporary Australia, a pluralistic society majorly comprises of diverse, Indigenous/Aboriginal people, people from British colonial past and an extensive diaspora from varied countries and cultures. These three give Australia a distinct flavor of being multi- ethnic and multi-cultural nation, a nation which is a home to many- a place to live and belong. However, this ironically has contradictory perceptions as well. The Aboriginal, the Fourth world people, have for long felt estranged/ homeless in their own land. They question the very being of being an Australian; the white/British descendants experience a new outlook amidst new cultural contents and diaspora with their tales of departure and arrival ponder over Who am I? Where am I? To whom and where I belong to? These interrogations reflective of socio-political encounter amongst cross-cultural and inter cultural domains also pose strong existential queries around ethical framework. Australian society today, hence, stands at a threshold negotiating its identity as a nation - nation at present occupied with its own past more than ever before so as to come as its own.' (Introduction)

'Literature of any nation cannot be studied in isolation. It must be read, studied, examined and evaluated with respect to socio-political and economic environment in which it breeds as well as the historical events which precede it. Australian literature today, too, exemplars this concept. For the Aboriginals it is self-representation that has allowed them to speak with their own voices their connection (belonging) and dis-connection (estrangement) with their land instead of being spoken about. The white settler writers struggle with the issues of conflict and contradiction between Britain and Australia and the extensive diaspora writers have traces of longing and belongings. The contemporary Australian literature, thus, reflects varied shades of living in Australia.

'To understand this through nostalgia, memory, alienation and belonging remains a central concern in this volume.

'This book makes a significant contribution to the field of Indo-Australian Studies so as to facilitate a better comprehension of Australian literature to Indian scholars and perceptions of Indian readers to Australian academics.' (Publication summary)