SOAS, University of London (The School of Oriental and African Studies)

Jhumpa Lahiri's "Interpreter of Maladies" (1999)

Themes in Literature of the Indian Subcontinent

Themes in Literature of the Indian Subcontinent considers overarching ideas such as double segregation, isolation and nostalgia in the works of major contemporary authors of the Indian diaspora in relation to the changing historical, political, socioeconomic, and cultural contexts of migration.

The ninth talk in the series considers Jhumpa Lahiri's "Interpreter of Maladies" (1999), exploring tensions between Indian-immigrant parents and their American-born children, the trials and tribulations which come with immigration from East to West, and arranged marriage in a culture which emphasizes romantic love.

Speaker Biography

Dr. Kavita Ramdya received her B.A. from New York University and her M.A. and Ph.D. from Boston University where she was a Presidential University Graduate Fellow. She is the author of non-fiction work "Bollywood Weddings: Dating, Engagement and Marriage in Hindu America" (2009) and is a regular contributor to "On Faith" in "The Washington Post". She freelances about popular culture and current events and has been published in a variety of publications, both academic and mainstream, including "The Columbia Journal of American Studies", "News India Times", and "India Abroad". University teaching credits includes “Modern British Drama”, “Contemporary British Literature”, “Literature of the American Dream”, and “Literature of the American Frontier.