Keown, Michelle

Hughes, Keith

Kenchington , Sarah

2026-04-27T12:50:25Z

2026-04-27

My thesis, entitled “Identity and Nationhood: The Effect of War on the East Asian Diaspora within Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian Literature” seeks to explore how war impacted the identity of Chinese and Japanese diasporic communities in the twentieth century. I will discuss six novels, alongside historical research, literary criticism, and theoretical modalities to analyse the extent to which war both solidified and fragmented identity for these diasporic groups. Both the Chinese and Japanese diaspora were pushed to the periphery of these nations, but war exacerbated those political and cultural forces of marginalisation even more profoundly. The thesis will be separated into three core chapters – one for each nation of focus. For Australia, I will discuss The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan and The Divine Wind by Garry Disher. For New Zealand, I will explore Chappy by Patricia Grace and As The Earth Turns Silver by Alison Wong. Finally, for Canada, I will examine The Jade Peony by Wayson Choy and Obasan by Joy Kogawa. Australia, New Zealand, and Canada are all also former British territories, so there is a commonality of still feeling a level of connection to British national identity, which will make for an interesting discussion regarding the lasting impact of imperialism. This thesis will offer new insights into the complexity of wartime policies and national identity, the way in which literature portrays this complexity, and ultimately will foster an understanding of how war impacted the East Asian diaspora during the twentieth century.

https://era.ed.ac.uk/handle/1842/44594

https://doi.org/10.7488/era/7110

en

The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan

The Divine Wind by Garry Disher

Chappy by Patricia Grace

As The Earth Turns Silver by Alison Wong

The Jade Peony by Wayson Choy

Obasan by Joy Kogawa

national identities

East Asian diaspora

Australian literature

Canadian literature

New Zealand literature

impact of war

diasporic communities

Identity and nationhood: the effect of war on the East Asian diaspora within Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian literature

Thesis

Doctoral

PhD Doctor of Philosophy