Detecting the Self and the Other

Abstract

The growing number of publications on the relationship between crime literature and nationality or ethnicity demonstrates the close connection between these topics. The spectrum of studies ranges from the classic detective as guardian of the nation to the ethnic detective as representative of social minorities. The thesis at hand contributes to the expansion of the current state of research by focusing on the representation of the nation exclusively in postmodern crime novels published from 1982 to 2008. The interest of this sub-genre in narrative processes initiates the crisis of the detective character and the examination of the national narrative. Thus, the primary concern of this study is to understand to what extent the change in the philosophical assumptions of the postmodern crime novel leads to generic developments and a redefinition of human society. <br /> Since the questioning of national borders and their representation in postmodern crime literature is a global phenomenon, this study follows a comparative approach. This method guarantees a broad perspective on the aesthetics of the sub-genre and its implementation in different literatures (Great Britain, United States of America, India, and Sri Lanka). Moreover, this structural approach allows the analysis of distinct socio-cultural experiences in different nation-states. <br /> The findings of the text analyses of the selected novels display that the focus on narrative processes favors the phenomenon of genre hybridization. Moreover, many of the works analyzed postulate alternative forms of human coexistence instead of the nation. The emphasis on micro-communities and interpersonal relationships is particularly central. The detective is no longer an ethereal being, but a social one.