From Hegel to Paz: Re-reading Orientalism in Latin American Writing

Over the past few decades, the presence of Asia in the history of Latin American literature has received considerable scholarly attention. An increasing number of studies on Asia in relation to Latin American politics and economy has been accompanied by a growing interest in cultural relations between these geographically distant regions. While the trans-Atlantic ties between Europe and Latin America have been scrutinized by critics for many years, the analysis of a trans-Pacific connection is still considered to be a relatively new subject. In general, previous research can be divided into two main branches. On the one hand are the scholars who have explored the ways in which the “exotic” Orient has attracted generations of Latin American writers since the nineteenth century. On the other hand are the studies that focus on more contemporary issues, such as the influence of Asian immigrants in different Latin American countries, most notably Cuba, Peru, Mexico, Argentina and Brazil. These studies look at both the contributions of the Asian Diaspora in the making of a modern Latin America and the ways in which this cultural encounter manifests itself in diverse forms, including literature, art, music, cuisine and fashion