Popular Culture Review 30.2
Patterson covers a mixture of literature in a very deliberate manner , and his terminology is key to his viewpoint . He chooses to use the term “ Anglophone literature ” over Asian , Asian American , or some other variation , allowing him to cover a broad range of literature from the Philippines , Singapore , and Malaysia , as well as Southeast Asian migrant experiences in North America . From a theoretical perspective , Patterson ’ s terminology emphasizes his purpose of sliding between different countries and borders while also alluding to the colonial influence that impacts these English-speaking Asian cultures . These purposes are further illustrated through Patterson ’ s definition of “ transitive cultures ,” his titular term , that goes beyond the common perception of transition as becoming something else or achieving an “ authentic identity .” Instead , “ transitive cultures ” cross the borders of various identity markers to recognize that identity formation is a complex , ongoing process that requires people to navigate colonial histories and their own changing relationships to their cultures . By focusing on transition as a position between different conceptions of race , gender , sexuality , and nation , Patterson gives focus to those with constantly shifting , less clear-cut identities , such as mixed-race or queer Asians .
Transitive Cultures is divided into six chapters in three sections , with each chapter comparing two different texts of various cultural backgrounds . In Part I : “ Histories ,” Patterson looks at how some Southeast Asian texts resist the official histories pluralist governments produce , as these governments use diversity and multiculturalism to claim harmony among disparate groups and appear progressive while preserving racial , gendered , and class hierarchies . Patterson ’ s decision to compare texts from different Southeast Asian cultures here and throughout the book highlights how these cultures may share strategies of resistance .
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