English Studies in the Age of Globalization: From National Literature to World Literature
In recent years, the field of English studies has increasingly embraced the concept of “global literature,” which challenges the traditional boundaries of national literary canons. Rather than focusing exclusively on British or American texts, scholars now examine literary production across diverse geographical and cultural contexts where English functions as a global language.
This shift has been closely linked to the rise of World Englishes, which recognizes that English is no longer a monolithic entity but a plural and evolving linguistic system shaped by local cultures. As a result, literary works produced in postcolonial contexts are gaining greater attention, not merely as peripheral texts but as central contributions to the discipline.
Furthermore, the integration of digital humanities has transformed the way literary texts are analyzed. Tools such as text mining and computational stylistics allow researchers to identify patterns and trends that would be difficult to detect through traditional close reading alone.
These developments indicate that English studies is moving toward a more inclusive and methodologically diverse framework, one that acknowledges both the global circulation of texts and the multiplicity of voices that shape contemporary literature.