"The best way for literary scholars to reinstate the study of literature, language, and culture as a key player among the academic humanities is to do what we do best, to engage in big questions of intellectual importance and to address them by using the tools of our trade, which include not only material culture but also theory, interpretation, linguistic analysis, and a close and passionate attention to the rich allusiveness, deep ambivalence, and powerful slipperiness that is language in action."
In some ways, this isn't either particularly groundbreaking, or really all that different from what most scholars I know are doing implicitly or explicitly. But there's something implied in here that I do think is something we've lost a sense of: what literature itself tells us about our own world. When I think about the academic blogs that I read , and write, for that matter, it occurs to me that few or even none of us regularly cites the literature we study when considering the big questions that we are often considering.
Why don't we do this, I wonder? Are we so steeped in the dogma of historical contingency that we cannot see the relevance of a Romantic, or Anglo-Saxon, or Modernist text to a contemporary issue? I know we want to avoid the Bartlett's Quotations approach to literature and the Big Questions, but certainly we can do better. This is how we renew our status as public intellectuals, and perhaps how we reinvigorate our apparently flagging discipline.
1 comment:
Apna Showroom Stylish Hair Clutcher for Women
Keep your hair stylishly managed with Apna Showroom Hair Clutcher for Women. Designed with durable material, it provides a strong grip for long and thick hair. Perfect for office, college, casual outings, and parties, this clutcher adds a trendy touch to APNA SHOWROOM White Marble Shiva Lingam/Shiv Ling - Shankar Bholenath Shivji Mahadev Bhole Bhandari Idol Murti for Worship and Decoration
Apna Showroom Baby Boy's and Girl's Night Suit for 0-6 Months Combo Set Pair of 2 (4 Pieces) Newborn Baby Night Suits cotton with desent Look
Apna Showroom Newborn Baby Boy's and Girl's Cotton Night Suit or Sleepwear or Sleepsuit Newborn baby night wear for boys girls baby 0-3 months 3-6 months (Multicolour, 0-6 Months
your hairstyle. Lightweight, comfortable, and easy to use, it keeps your hair neatly tied all day. A must-have hair accessory for women who love both fashion and functionality. Available in modern designs for every occasion.
Post a Comment