With the Sharpened Axe of Reason - Approaches to Walter Benjamin

Walter Benjamin holds a unique fascination for students and scholars interested in the question of modernity. The most original thinker of Weimar Germany, Benjamin has become something of a cultural icon and his works are often regarded with awe rather than critical scrutiny. This book offers surprising new insights from a number of perspectives -- sociology, history, women''s studies, literary and cultural studies -- and investigates unexplored areas of Benjamin scholarship to arrive at a critically balanced perception of his work. There are four main sections:- a critical re-evaluation of Benjamin''s concepts of history and modernity in light of postmodernist discourses;- a discussion of aspects of Benjamin''s literary scholarship; - a re-evaluation of Benjamin''s writings on media and performance theories; and - an investigation of Benjamin''s peculiar ''utopianism'' which includes a critical consideration of sexual/gender politics.>

Product details

• Authors: Gerhard Fischer
• Assisted by: G. Fischer (Editor), Gerhard Fischer (Editor)
• Publisher: Berg Publishers Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.04.1996
• EAN: 9781859730546
• ISBN: 978-1-85973-054-6
• No. of pages: 240
• Dimensions: 138 mm x 216 mm x 12 mm
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > German linguistics / literary studies; Cultural Studies, Germany, PHILOSOPHY / History & Surveys / General, LITERARY CRITICISM / European / German, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / Cultural & Social, LITERARY CRITICISM / Modern / 19th Century, LITERARY CRITICISM / Modern / 20th Century, german, Literary studies: c 1800 to c 1900, Literary studies: from c 1900 -, Philosophical traditions and schools of thought, History of Western philosophy, Literary studies: c 1900 to c 2000