Canada has often been described as a patchwork of cultural and linguistic communities that continually intersect with one another in interesting and provocative ways. This collection of essays provides a forum in which ethnicity and literature are explored form a broad range of critical perspectives including feminism, psychoanalysis, cinema, cultural studies, history, gender and native studies. They do so by addressing the many ways in which minority writers not only create a sense of community and ethnic specificity but also open avenues of discourse to adjacent communities. This collection discusses and debates the issues pertinent to contemporary ethnic/minority studies in Canada.

These essays, written by scholars from across the country, "engage directly with the ambiguities and difficulties associated with the term 'minority writing'" - Sherry Simon. They do so by addressing the many ways in which minority writers not only create a sense of community and ethnic specificity but also open avenues of discourse to adjacent communities.