Sanctioned Ignorance: The Politics of Knowledge Production and the Teaching of the Literatures of Canada

"There is no such thing as 'the ivory tower.' Rather, there sit side by side numerous windowless towers of knowledge, each seeming to have only a small entrance and no discernable exit." -from the Introduction

Multilingual, multicultural, and vast, Canada enjoys a rich diversity of literatures. So why does "Canadian Literature," as it has been taught, fail to encompass a common geography, history, and government, yet reveal the diverse experiences of its immigrants, long-term residents, and original peoples? Martin's research-interviews with 95 professors in 27 universities-maps the institutional chasms in communication and the nature of their persistence. His own example of venturing out from his "tower" to dialogue with colleagues shows a way toward cultivating a conception of the literatures of Canada that is expansive and inclusive. Leaders in education, Canadianists, and professors of English, French, Postcolonial and Comparative Literatures will profit from Martin's frank investigations.