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Intro to Literary Theory
Table of Contents
Unit 14 Overview: Contemporary Literary Theory Debates
14.1 Digital Humanities and Literary Theory
14.2 Globalization and World Literature
14.3 Emerging Trends and Interdisciplinary Approaches

🧿intro to literary theory review

14.3 Emerging Trends and Interdisciplinary Approaches

Citation:

Literary theory is evolving, embracing new perspectives like affect theory, ecocriticism, and posthumanism. These approaches explore emotions, environmental issues, and the blurring of human-nonhuman boundaries in literature.

Contemporary literary studies are increasingly interdisciplinary, drawing from fields like philosophy, psychology, and digital humanities. This cross-pollination enriches analysis, providing new tools and perspectives for understanding texts and their contexts.

  • Affect theory explores how texts evoke, transmit, and shape emotions, feelings, and bodily sensations (empathy, disgust, excitement) and considers the political and social implications of these affective experiences
  • Ecocriticism examines the relationship between literature and the environment, analyzing how texts represent and engage with ecological issues (climate change, pollution, conservation) and nature, and investigates the role of literature in shaping environmental consciousness and action
  • Posthumanism challenges traditional notions of the human subject and human exceptionalism, exploring the blurring of boundaries between the human and non-human (cyborgs, artificial intelligence, genetically modified organisms) and considering the implications of posthumanist thought for literary representation and interpretation

Interdisciplinarity of contemporary literature

  • Literary studies increasingly draw on concepts, methods, and insights from various disciplines such as:
    • Philosophy, psychology, sociology, anthropology, history, and political science provide theoretical frameworks and analytical tools for studying the social, cultural, and historical contexts of literature
    • Natural sciences, such as biology, ecology, and neuroscience offer insights into the biological and cognitive aspects of reading and writing (evolution, embodiment, perception)
    • Digital humanities, media studies, and technology studies enable new forms of literary analysis and interpretation using computational methods and digital tools (text mining, network analysis, data visualization)
  • Interdisciplinary approaches enrich literary analysis by providing new perspectives and tools, allowing for more comprehensive and nuanced understandings of literary texts and their contexts
  • Examples of interdisciplinary engagement include:
    • Cognitive literary studies applies findings from cognitive science (memory, attention, emotion) to the study of literature and reading processes, illuminating how the mind engages with and makes sense of literary texts
    • Digital literary studies uses computational methods and digital tools (natural language processing, machine learning, web scraping) to analyze and interpret large corpora of literary texts, enabling new forms of distant reading and pattern recognition
  • Emerging trends and interdisciplinary approaches expand the scope and methods of literary analysis by:
    • Encouraging the study of previously marginalized or overlooked texts and genres (popular fiction, fan fiction, graphic novels)
    • Enabling new forms of close reading and distant reading that combine qualitative and quantitative methods (stylometry, sentiment analysis, topic modeling)
  • These trends challenge traditional assumptions and categories in literary studies, such as:
    • Questioning the boundaries between literary and non-literary texts (journalism, social media, video games)
    • Problematizing the distinction between high and low culture (canonical literature vs. genre fiction)
    • Redefining the canon and the criteria for literary value based on inclusivity, diversity, and cultural significance
  • Emerging trends foster new modes of interpretation and critique that:
    • Highlight the embodied, affective, and material dimensions of reading and writing (phenomenology of reading, haptic poetics, book history)
    • Situate literature within broader cultural, social, and political contexts (globalization, migration, social movements)
    • Engage with pressing contemporary issues, such as climate change, technological transformation, and social justice (cli-fi, digital literature, activist poetics)

Challenges of interdisciplinary approaches

  • Challenges of increasing interdisciplinarity in literary theory include:
    • Potential for dilution or loss of literary specificity as literary studies incorporate methods and concepts from other disciplines
    • Risk of uncritical borrowing or misapplication of concepts from other fields without fully understanding their disciplinary contexts and limitations
    • Difficulty in acquiring expertise across multiple disciplines, which may require extensive training and collaboration
    • Institutional and disciplinary resistance to interdisciplinary work, such as funding constraints, publication barriers, and tenure and promotion criteria
  • Opportunities presented by interdisciplinarity include:
    • Enrichment of literary studies through cross-pollination with other fields, leading to new insights, questions, and methodologies
    • Development of new theoretical frameworks that can better account for the complexity and diversity of literary phenomena (intersectionality, new materialism, posthumanism)
    • Increased relevance and impact of literary studies in addressing real-world problems and engaging with public concerns (medical humanities, environmental humanities, digital humanities)
    • Potential for collaboration and dialogue with scholars from diverse backgrounds, fostering intellectual exchange and innovation
    • Expansion of the public reach and engagement of literary studies, making the field more accessible and meaningful to a wider audience

Key Terms to Review (24)

Activist poetics: Activist poetics refers to a literary approach that intertwines art and activism, aiming to bring social change through poetry and other forms of creative expression. This concept emphasizes the role of literature in addressing social justice issues, highlighting marginalized voices, and fostering community engagement. It connects the artistic process to political movements, making poetry a tool for activism and awareness.
Sentiment Analysis: Sentiment analysis is the computational study of people's opinions, sentiments, evaluations, appraisals, and emotions toward entities, events, or topics. This technique helps in understanding public sentiment by processing large amounts of textual data, often from social media or reviews, using various algorithms and natural language processing tools.
Gilles Deleuze: Gilles Deleuze was a French philosopher known for his contributions to a variety of fields, including literary theory, film theory, and political philosophy. His work emphasizes the importance of difference, repetition, and the concept of the rhizome, which has become influential in post-structuralist thought and interdisciplinary approaches. Deleuze's ideas challenge traditional notions of identity and representation, making his philosophy relevant across diverse disciplines.
Interactive fiction: Interactive fiction is a form of storytelling that allows readers to participate actively in the narrative through choices that influence the plot and outcome. This genre blends elements of literature and gaming, enabling users to shape their experiences by making decisions that guide the direction of the story, creating a unique engagement between the reader and the text.
New materialism: New materialism is a theoretical framework that emphasizes the importance of materiality and the interconnectedness of matter and meaning in understanding social and cultural phenomena. It challenges traditional dualisms, such as mind/body and human/non-human, advocating for a more integrated approach that recognizes the agency of both human and non-human entities in shaping experiences and realities.
Phenomenology of Reading: The phenomenology of reading is an approach that focuses on the subjective experience of reading, emphasizing how individual readers perceive, interpret, and engage with texts. It explores the ways in which readers' consciousness and lived experiences shape their understanding and enjoyment of literature, connecting deeply to personal interpretation and emotional responses.
Katherine Hayles: Katherine Hayles is a prominent literary scholar and theorist known for her work on the intersections of literature, science, and technology, particularly in the context of digital culture. Her scholarship emphasizes how contemporary narratives are shaped by the complex relationship between humans and technology, highlighting the impact of digital media on reading, writing, and understanding literature.
Topic modeling: Topic modeling is a computational technique used to discover abstract themes or topics within a large collection of texts. It involves algorithms that analyze the co-occurrence of words and phrases, helping researchers to identify patterns and structures in the data, making it easier to categorize and interpret vast amounts of information.
Book history: Book history is an interdisciplinary field that examines the production, distribution, and reception of books and written texts throughout history. It encompasses various aspects such as materiality, authorship, readership, and the socio-political contexts in which books are created and consumed, highlighting how these elements shape literary culture and knowledge dissemination.
Haptic Poetics: Haptic poetics refers to a sensory approach to literature that emphasizes the tactile and physical experiences of reading and engaging with texts. It encourages readers to consider the ways in which touch and materiality shape their understanding and interpretation of literary works, fostering a deeper connection between the reader and the text.
Stylometry: Stylometry is the quantitative analysis of writing style, often used to attribute authorship or analyze literary texts based on specific linguistic features. It involves the use of statistical methods and computational tools to identify patterns in vocabulary, syntax, and other stylistic elements across different texts. This approach bridges literature with data science, revealing insights into authorship, genre classification, and historical context.
Web scraping: Web scraping is the automated process of extracting large amounts of data from websites, allowing users to gather information for analysis and research. This technique uses bots or scripts to access web pages, retrieve content, and structure it in a usable format, which opens up new possibilities for data collection and analysis across various fields.
Posthumanism: Posthumanism is a philosophical and cultural movement that challenges traditional notions of what it means to be human, often emphasizing the role of technology, environment, and non-human entities in shaping human existence. It interrogates the boundaries between human and non-human, advocating for a rethinking of ethics, identity, and agency in an increasingly interconnected world. This perspective encourages an examination of how advancements in science and technology alter our understanding of humanity and our relationship with other beings.
Affect theory: Affect theory is a framework in literary and cultural studies that emphasizes the role of emotions and bodily responses in shaping human experiences and interactions. It explores how feelings are connected to social contexts, identities, and power dynamics, offering insights into the ways literature and art can evoke emotional reactions and influence viewers' perceptions.
Graphic novels: Graphic novels are a form of visual storytelling that combines text and illustrations to convey a narrative, often resembling comic books but typically featuring more complex plots and character development. This unique medium has gained significant recognition in recent years, often crossing over into literature and art discussions, showcasing diverse themes and styles that appeal to various audiences.
Cognitive literary studies: Cognitive literary studies is an interdisciplinary approach that merges insights from cognitive science with literary analysis to understand how readers engage with texts and how literature influences thought and emotion. This field emphasizes the cognitive processes involved in reading and interpreting literature, exploring how narrative structures, character development, and thematic elements can shape our understanding of the human experience.
Digital literary studies: Digital literary studies is an interdisciplinary field that combines traditional literary analysis with digital tools and methodologies to examine, analyze, and interpret literary texts and their cultural contexts. This approach emphasizes the use of technology in the exploration of literature, including text mining, digital mapping, and multimedia presentations, allowing for new insights into texts and their meanings.
Machine learning: Machine learning is a subset of artificial intelligence that involves the use of algorithms and statistical models to enable computers to perform tasks without explicit programming. This technology learns from data patterns, improving its performance over time, and is increasingly integrated into various fields, influencing the way we approach problem-solving across disciplines.
Natural language processing: Natural language processing (NLP) is a branch of artificial intelligence that focuses on the interaction between computers and humans through natural language. It enables machines to understand, interpret, and respond to human language in a meaningful way, bridging the gap between human communication and computer understanding. This field plays a significant role in analyzing literary texts, enhancing accessibility, and fostering interdisciplinary collaborations.
Text mining: Text mining is the process of extracting meaningful information and patterns from large volumes of text data using computational methods. This technique combines linguistic analysis and machine learning to uncover insights that are not immediately obvious, often enhancing research in fields such as digital humanities and literary studies by enabling scholars to analyze vast collections of texts quickly and effectively.
Ecocriticism: Ecocriticism is a literary theory that explores the relationship between literature and the environment, examining how texts reflect, represent, and engage with ecological issues. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of nature and culture, advocating for a more sustainable understanding of our relationship with the natural world. This approach not only critiques literary works but also seeks to reveal how narratives shape our perceptions of nature and our responsibilities toward it.
Digital humanities: Digital humanities is an interdisciplinary field that combines traditional humanities research with digital tools and methods to analyze, visualize, and disseminate information. This approach allows scholars to explore new ways of understanding literature, history, and culture through the lens of technology, facilitating the analysis of large datasets and fostering collaboration across disciplines.
Intersectionality: Intersectionality is a concept that examines how various social identities, such as race, gender, sexuality, and class, overlap and intersect to create unique experiences of oppression and privilege. This framework helps analyze the ways different forms of discrimination interact, highlighting the complexity of social hierarchies and power dynamics.
Cli-fi: Cli-fi is a genre of literature that focuses on climate change and its effects on the environment and human society. This genre aims to raise awareness about climate-related issues through storytelling, often blending elements of science fiction with realism. It reflects the growing concerns over the Anthropocene epoch, highlighting the urgent need for dialogue around climate change and its potential consequences.