MODERN ASIAN LITERATURE AND ITS ROLE IN EDUCATION ACROSS ASIA AND BEYOND Ali Mustofa English Language and Literature Department, Faculty of Languages and Arts, Universitas Negeri Surabaya E-mail:
[email protected] ABSTRACT Modern Asian literature is all works of literature produced in Asia and those which talk about Asia and beyond. When discussing Asian literature, it will also signify the works of literature that have been written by Asian writers and also by other writers from other countries which of course, about Asia. Today’s trend for Asian literary studies has shifted from a postcolonialism perspective to cultural studies since the latter has developed very fast in the rapid changing of cultural, regional, and multinational diversities. The issues in Asian literature have also touched the grounds of transnational and multidimensional problems which give more room toward different interpretations of nations and identity. Those issues will also bring up the ideas of the role of Asian literature in education across Asia and beyond since they contribute directly and indirectly to the development of the educational curriculum in Asia and other neighboring countries. The paper will briefly share some insights into the nature of Asian literature and its position in the English language studies curriculum in Asia and beyond. It also discusses some issues related to the role of Asian literature in Asian education which specifically addresses the issues of nation-building through the understanding of “the self” and “the other” in a postcolonial perspective, and at the same time rediscovers the very nature of “Asia’s sense” as well as “Asian eyes” in the scope of language and cultural studies.