Contemporary Fictions of Multiculturalism

London is one of the most diverse cities in human history. While its multicultural character has been widely celebrated in recent decades - by writers of fiction as much as by anyone - more recently multiculturalism has been said to have 'failed', or to have never really existed in the first place. [...]
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London is one of the most diverse cities in human history. While its multicultural character has been widely celebrated in recent decades - by writers of fiction as much as by anyone - more recently multiculturalism has been said to have 'failed', or to have never really existed in the first place. How have recent works of fiction engaged with London's multiculturalism, and could that multiculturalism itself be regarded as a kind of 'fiction'? This study analyses a number of key contemporary texts (including Brick Lane, White Teeth, Small Island and Pigeon English) that engage with questions about ethnic and cultural diversity in London. It argues that in recent years the most successful and engaging works of literature about the city have attempted to assert its diversity as undeniable whilst also challenging the notion that London is an inclusive utopia which offers sanctuary and prosperity to its migrants.