Multicultural Literature in a Superdiverse City

This essay highlights how students, particularly from ethnically diverse backgrounds, critically interact with postcolonial concepts and generational differences depicted in novels like Monica Ali's "Brick Lane" and Caryl Phillips' "In the Falling Snow." Through these literary works, students examine the complexities of diasporic identities and cultural hybridity, often challenging traditional labels such as "nth-generation immigrants." I consider the students' nuanced understandings of their own identities and experiences, and the importance of personal perspectives in academic discourse. The essay situates this pedagogical approach within the broader socio-cultural landscape of Birmingham, a city characterised by significant ethnic and socio-economic diversity.