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This study is the first to situate contemporary literature from Hawai i in a comprehensive framework of current theoretical background, comparative surveys of other relevant literatures, and Hawaii s literary history. From a German or even a European perspective, it is the first Ph. D. dissertation to deal with Hawaii s literary production at all. Its main thesis is that the literature resulting from the islands history, pervasive outside representation, and the unique multicultural setup of the population is fundamentally a Local one, place-bound, ethnicity-aware, expressed in a variety of linguistic choices. Contemporary literature from Hawai i is an exploration of Local identity, providing a multitude of answers to the question What is a Hawaiian? After an introductory chapter that presents the issues and problems that this study deals with, its second chapter surveys the theoretical discourses that are utilized in the analysis of the literature under scrutiny. Postcolonialism, Cultural Studies, and Postmodernism yield the tools needed for interpretation. Next, three other bodies of literature are portrayed as comparative spaces, namely the Caribbean, the South Pacific, and Asian America. The fourth chapter delineates the traditions and trailblazers that Hawaii s contemporary writers draw on and engage with. The local university system, the canon of visitor literature, the indigenous cultural revival, and the Asian-dominated development of avenues for literary production and distribution, are portrayed in detail. The bulk of this study then groups contemporary writings thematically, under the headings History, Ethnicity, Language, and Place. The presentations and analyses of texts comprise the fifth chapter. The resulting conclusion is offered in the sixth chapter, arguing that despite all variety and dissension, a common, Local way of writing has evolved. A brief outlook chapter points out possible directions for further investigation. ; published
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