Research in Western American Literature: 1998–1999

R e s e a r c h in W e s t e r n A m e r ic a n LITERATURE: 1998-1999 J a n R o u s h A year, a century, and a millennium have ended since this col­ umn last appeared, and as we enter a new era, it is even more poignant to note where western American literature as a discipline is headed. I realize that it may be a bit presumptuous to hard-nosed advocates of “the canon” to assert western American literature’s role as a viable discipline in light of a millennium of study. My argument is based not on longevity but rather on sheer energy and creativity— the stuff that all new frontiers, be they geographic or intellectual, are founded on. The fact that the last four decades saw a tremendous growth in the discipline, in breadth as well as depth, augers well for its continuing viability in the next century. Over the past year, a total of 231 studies were completed in areas related to western American literature, not all in literature per se but all enhancing knowledge in the field— hence the breadth as well as the depth. I have noted before that research in the early days of the discipline tended to focus either on individual authors in the field or on attempts to establish a theoretical basis for such a discipline. I have also documented the tremendous growth in research in the field, from fewer than twenty studies a year to almost twelve times that many in less than half a century’s time. This past year’s research underscores once again the viability and vitality of the field. Over a number of years of assessing the nature of such research, one develops an instinct of what studies are most likely to add to the overall knowledge in the field. That’s not to say that at times I might miss some vital area, some nugget that might have a significant impact, though I try to be as thorough as possible. And I worry some­ times that my own rather esoteric “take” on things might be coloring the results, since I am admittedly very interdisciplinary in my approach. But I see that interdisciplinary approach as a sign of the times— in all areas of knowledge but especially in western American literature. Increasingly there is an interest in the West as a region, not just in the present but also in an investigation and reassessment of the past as well as a projection into the future. And that interest is reflected in the research that is being done not only in literature Jan Ro ush 487 but in anthropology and archaeology, in history and geography, and in visual media. Moreover, it crosses borders as well— not just the obvious, external borders to the North and the South, but also the subtle, interior borders less easily assessed. That’s what the research, and especially this year’s research, suggests. If I had to pick one characteristic to define where research in western American literature stands at the beginning of a new millennium, it would be interdisciplinary . Let me demonstrate why. The following table indicates the diversity I have been noting in the field. Though it tabulates just this past year’s research, it does reflect the growing interdisciplinary trend over the past few years. DISCIPLINE MA/MS PH.D./Ed .D./D.A. American Literature 7 84 American Studies 8 Anthropology/Archaeology 3 Art History 3 2 Canadian History 2 Canadian Literature 7 Canadian Studies 3 Cinema 3 Comparative Literature 1 9 Cultural Anthropology 6 20 Geography 1 Linguistics 2 1 Modern Literature 3 5 Rhetoric & Composition 3 Theater 2 United States History 7 48 Women’s History 1 Within this interdisciplinary overview, just how the research breaks down and what trends can be noted are questions well worth asking. The first and by far the most significant trend, I would say, is the overwhelming number of studies across all disciplines on Native American issues: race, empire, gambling, nuclear waste, urbanization, artifact collecting, language retention, NAGPR, to name just a few. There are also a...