Diversity: Linguistic, Cultural, and Literary Perspectives

This essay collection emerges from a year-long interdisciplinary exploration of cultural diversity within the framework of English and American Studies. Informed by contemporary socio-political challenges, the volume positions academic discourse as a vital counterforce to reactionary narratives that stigmatise non-normative identities by showing the omnipresence of diversity in literature and culture. The eleven essays, contributed by MA students, alumni, and faculty from across seven countries, reflect the diverse perspectives and methodologies shaping the growing field of diversity studies. Topics range from literary representations of queerness, race, gender, and disability to narratological approaches to ageing, and linguistic analyses of climate change discourse. Together, they demonstrate how literature, film, and media can serve as critical tools for examining power structures, identity politics, and social inclusion. This collection contributes to the ongoing institutionalisation of diversity studies as a critical, transdisciplinary field concerned not only with representation but with structural transformation in society and knowledge production alike.