What does it mean to speak of literary radicalism? What are the hallmarks of a radical literature? And how does any such body of radical literature relate to the crucial question of empire, while also seeking to not be limited by that address? This course will explore the theme of literary radicalism through perspectives arising from South Asia. Over the twentieth century the subcontinent has been shaped through a wide variety of social and political movements: from anticolonial struggles to communist organising, feminist struggles, dalit mobilisation, indigenous protest and more, with their histories intertwining in different ways. We will start with a consideration of some texts on literary radicalism from other parts of the global South by authors such as Julia de Burgos and Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, and then move to a detailed discussion of South Asian texts in subsequent weeks. This course will work with specific texts every week to examine particular aspects of literary style and history. We will study texts from a variety of subcontinental languages (in translation, unless originally in English), and across different forms – poetry, short fiction, children’s literature, novels, a memoir, a graphic novel and a documentary film on a poet. By grappling at length with specific geopolitical and literary contexts in South Asia, and serving as an introduction to them, this course seeks to move beyond reading them reductively simply in relation to empire/colonialism or the metropolitan reader, while simultaneously looking back at the global divisions of power from their perspectives. No prior training in South Asia or literature courses is a requirement. Students aren’t required to know any languages of the global South, but are very welcome to bring any such knowledge into their contributions to and submissions for the class.