Introduction to Dossier. Jumping over the fence: for a situated reading of the current literature of the south of Chile and Argentina

Abstract

This introduction presents some works and provides an overview for the understanding of the current literature of the south of Chile and Argentina. We address its emergence from the literary workshops, and the activities that emerged from them, held in both countries during the dictatorships. Also, we explore the relevance of the novel in the 21st century as part of an integral project of writers. We explain some central theoretical concepts: first, the definition of ‘southern cultural area’ (Gabriela Espinosa) as it integrates south of Chile and Argentina; in addition, the concept of ‘militant meridionality’ and the reading matrix ‘pecuniarization of space’ (Laura Pollastri) are both displayed here; we also present a central concept for Mapuche literature ‘nütram’ (Silvia Mellado). Finally, we introduce the articles centered in some relevant authors and works of this literature: Elicura Chihuailaf, Ivonne Coñuecar, Rosabetty Muñoz, Macky Corbalán, Gustavo De Vera, and an approach to the Argentine Patagonian comic through the works of Chelo Candia and Alejandro Aguado. In this manner we constitute a general overview of the current literature of the southern cultural area and of the theoretical-methodological instruments that we have elaborated for its study.