Reassembling the Fragments : Voice and Identity in Caribbean Discourse

This edited collection brings together the work of scholars in the field of Caribbean literary and linguistic study. Its genesis was the University of the West Indies 2011 commemorative conference in honour of recently retired professors Bridget Brereton, Barbara Lalla and Ian Robertson. This volume engages the seminal work done by Lalla and Robertson with focus on their contributions to theoretical constructs, original data collection and analysis, and the formation of a Caribbean based ethos.

The rich deliberations demanded fuller development and preservation and Reassembling the Fragments answers that call. Part 1, “Tributes and Critical Appraisals”, engages the ground-breaking work of the eminent professors with a focus on originality, scope and impact on subsequent knowledge creation. Part 2 presents the contributions of scholars whose thought has been influenced by their incisive concepts, paradigms and methodologies.

The collection responds to the ongoing archaeological imperative of unearthing and reassembling fragments of voice and identity. It adds to the multigenerational project of naming and fashioning the diverse island cultures of the Caribbean and offers yet another shard of honour, duty and love.

Paula Morgan is Senior Lecturer, Department of Literary, Cultural and Communications Studies, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. Her publications include Language Proficiency for Tertiary Level: Writing about Literature (co-authored with Barbara Lalla); Writing Rage: Unmasking Violence in Caribbean Discourse (co-authored with Valerie Youssef); and The Culture of Violence: A Trinidad and Tobago Case Study (co-edited with Valerie Youssef).

Valerie Youssef is Professor of Linguistics, Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. Her publications include The Languages of Tobago: Genesis and Perspectives (co-authored with Winford James); Writing Rage: Unmasking Violence in Caribbean Discourse (co-authored with Paula Morgan); and The Culture of Violence: A Trinidad and Tobago Case Study (co-edited with Paula Morgan).