Journal Article

Migrant Literature and/as Cultural Change: The Case of “London Is the Place for Me”

Frank, Michael C

2016

Overview

In this essay, “London Is the Place for Me” will serve as an exemplary case study for an investigation into how migrant literature (in this case, a song lyric) relates to cultural change. My hypothesis is that London texts by authors from British colonies or former colonies allow us to approach the cultural consequences of immigration not as an accomplished fact (as the BBC documentary celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush does), but as an ongoing process. They give us a glimpse of cultural change in the making, of the making of what we may term “postcolonial London.” I borrow this term from John McLeod’s eponymous monograph, which presents itself as “a book about change.” McLeod begins his study by reminding us how the dismantling of the Empire and the continuing legacies of imperialism have left their mark on the space of London, most notably in the form of immigration from Britain’s former colonies.

• Publisher: Narr Francke Attempto Verlag GmbH + Co. KG
• Subject: African American literature / Ambiguity / Authorship / Biographies / Black British people / Case studies / Citizenship / Cultural change / Heroism & heroes / Immigration / Imperialism / Literary characters / Literary criticism / Literary devices / Literary influences / Literature / Lord Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts) / Migrants / Narrative techniques / Perry, Kennetta Hammond / Plot (Narrative) / Postcolonialism / Race / Writers