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Book/Printed Material Understanding public debates : what literary studies can do What literary studies can do

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About this Item

Title

  • Understanding public debates : what literary studies can do

Other Title

  • What literary studies can do

Summary

  • "By historicizing and contextualizing them through readings of carefully selected literary texts, literary studies can contribute to understanding and rationalizing key debates waged in many pluralist societies today - whether on different conceptions of liberty, identity politics, historical commemoration, challenges of globalization or responses to climate change. Understanding Public Debates presents case studies including Milton's Paradise Lost and P.B. Shelley's 1820 Reform essay, Philip Roth's The Human Stain, the song-writing of Neil Young, Edward Young's 1720s "Sea Odes", recent climate fiction as well as non-literary conflict narratives. Rather than mining texts for arguments for or against certain positions, this book is interested in how texts stage these debates by means of multiple perspectives, narrative situations, or ambiguities. By suggesting how educators might use literary texts as conversation starters for more rational debates, the volume also contributes to Public Literary Studies. Three important fields are here brought together: (1) the study of societal debates and conflicts and the ways in which they challenge pluralist societies, (2) explorations of the societal functions of literature and of non-literary narratives, (3) discussions of the role and functions of literary studies. The book ends with ten crisp theses on how literary studies can contribute to understanding and rationalizing such conflictive debates"-- Provided by publisher.

Names

  • Gurr, Jens Martin, 1974- author

Created / Published

  • New York : Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, 2024.

Contents

  • The history of ideas and the long shadow of Plato: Milton, Shelly and problems of liberty and liberalism -- Complicating the 'Culture Wars': re-reading The human stain -- America the beautiful? Neil Young's explorations of racism, genocide and the foundations of 'America' -- Edward Young's abysmal 'Sea Odes": mercantilism, free trade and globalization -- Cli-fi novels as models of and for climate debates -- Understanding conflicts through conflict narratives: narrative path dependencies and the chances for compromise -- By the way of conclusion: ten theses.

Headings

  • -  Debates and debating
  • -  Literature--History and criticism--Theory, etc

Notes

  • -  Includes bibliographical references and index.
  • -  Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher; resource not viewed.

Medium

  • 1 online resource

Call Number/Physical Location

  • PN4181

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2024016711

Rights Advisory

Access Advisory

  • Unrestricted online access.

Online Format

  • epub
  • image

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Rights & Access

The books in this collection are licensed under open access licenses allowing for the reuse and distribution of each book following the terms described in each license. Researchers should consult the Rights Advisory statement for each title and the accompanying license details for information about rights and permissions associated with each of the licenses.

More about Copyright and other Restrictions.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Gurr, Jens Martin, Author. Understanding Public Debates: What Literary Studies Can Do. New York: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, 2024. Image. https://aj.sunback.homes/item/2024016711/.

APA citation style:

Gurr, J. M. (2024) Understanding Public Debates: What Literary Studies Can Do. New York: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. [Image] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://aj.sunback.homes/item/2024016711/.

MLA citation style:

Gurr, Jens Martin, Author. Understanding Public Debates: What Literary Studies Can Do. New York: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, 2024. Image. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <aj.sunback.homes/item/2024016711/>.