Foucault and Literature - Towards a Genealogy of Writing

The writings of the French historian, literary critic and philosopher Michel Foucault have been of immense importance to developments in literary studies since the late 1970s. He, more than anyone, stands behind the new historicism' and cultural materialism' that currently dominate international literary studies. Simon During provides a detailed introduction to the whole body of Foucault's work, with a particular emphasis on his literary theory. His study takes in Foucault's early studies of transgressive' writing from Sade and Artaud to the French new novellists' of the 1960s, and his later concern with the genealogy of the author/intellectual, writing and theorizing within specific, historical mechanisms of social control and production. Foucault and Literature offers a critique both of Foucault and of the literary studies that have been influenced by him, and goes on to develop new methods of post-Foucauldian literary/cultural analysis.

List of contents

Acknowledgements -- Introduction: Before reading Foucault -- 1 MADNESS -- 2 MEDICINE, DEATH, REALISM -- 3 LITERATURE AND LITERARY THEORY -- 4 KNOWLEDGE -- 5 GENEALOGY, AUTHORSHIP, POWER -- 6 DISCIPLINE -- 7 LIFE, SEXUALITY AND ETHICS -- 8 POST-FOUCAULDIAN CRITICISM: GOVERNMENT, DEATH, MIMESIS -- 9 AFTER READING FOUCAULT: BACK TO THE AUTHOR -- Conclusion -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index.

About the author

Simon During is Senior Lecturer in the English Depart¬ment of the University of Melbourne, Australia.

Summary

The writings of the French historian, literary critic and philosopher Michel Foucault have been of immense importance to developments in literary studies since the late 1970s

Product details

• Authors: Simon During, Simon (John Hopkins University During, During Simon
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 11.12.2015
• EAN: 9780415012423
• ISBN: 978-0-415-01242-3
• No. of pages: 271
• Subjects: Education and learning > Miscellaneous; Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative literary studies; French, PHILOSOPHY / History & Surveys / General, LITERARY CRITICISM / Semiotics & Theory, LITERARY CRITICISM / European / French, LITERARY CRITICISM / Modern / 20th Century, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Literary studies: from c 1900 -, Literary theory, Philosophical traditions and schools of thought, History of Western philosophy, Literary studies: c 1900 to c 2000