Globalizing the Republic of Letters?

Mo Yan’s Nobel Prize in literature caused lengthy controversies over the writer’s integrity, literary censorship, and freedom of expression. Reviewing the Nobel’s records and the Mo Yan controversies, this paper argues that the episode demonstrates that recognition of the peripheral national by the “metropolitan” center is taking priority over vigorous debate and critical literary appreciation. The appearance of growing diversity among laureates of the prestigious prize does not render greater tolerance of dissent ; nor does it necessarily signal growing literary vitality.