This is the first book of its kind to clearly map out the field of postcolonialism in its own terms. The book provides an overview of postcolonialism's pervasiveness in the academy, and lucidly illustrates the debates about the often conflicting consensus regarding the proper content, scope and relevance of its concerns. The book also elaborates on the themes and issues that have engaged the attention of postcolonial critics. From its influence in Marxism and poststructuralism, from the work of Edward Said to Salman Rushdie, from feminist imperialism to globalization and hybridity, Gandhi demonstrates the ethical concern that postcolonial theory can offer: how to take into account diversity without erasing distinct diasporas of difference.