c# - Can we make this method generic? -

i saw method in sample xamarin, using json accessing rest server:

list<country> countries = new list<country>();     public task<list<country>> getcountries()     {         return task.factory.startnew (() => {             try {                  if(countries.count > 0)                     return countries;                  var request = createrequest ("countries");                 string response = readresponsetext (request);                 countries = newtonsoft.json.jsonconvert.deserializeobject<list<country>> (response);                 return countries;             } catch (exception ex) {                 console.writeline (ex);                 return new list<country> ();             }         });     } 

where "createrequest" , "readresponsetext" methods interact rest server, receiving list of countries deserialize , return in list. now, i'm trying make method generic in order receive type , return generic list of objects of specified type, this:

public static task<list<object>> getlistofanyobject(string requested_object, type type)      {         return task.factory.startnew (() => {             try {                 var request = createrequest (requested_object);                 string response = readresponsetext (request);                 list<object> objects = // create generic list based on specified type                 objects = newtonsoft.json.jsonconvert.deserializeobject<list<object>> (response); // not sure how handle line                 return objects;             } catch (exception ex) {                 console.writeline (ex);                 return ex.message;             }         });     } 

so question is, how can create method above in order use more , less (casting list desired type)?

list<country> countries = (list<country>)(list<?>) getlistofanyobject("countries",country.type); 

many in advance!

try this..

public static task<list<t>> getlistofanyobject<t>(string requested_object)  {    return task.factory.startnew (() => {        try {            var request = createrequest (requested_object);            string response = readresponsetext (request);            return newtonsoft.json.jsonconvert.deserializeobject<list<t>> (response); // not sure how handle line        } catch (exception ex) {            console.writeline (ex);            return ex.message;        }    }); } 

called so..

list<country> countries = getlistofanyobject<country>("countries");