Synopses & Reviews
Amidst continuing debates about the literary canon, Literature, Culture and Society poses a revealing question--if academics find it valuable and stimulating to discuss texts ranging from Genesis to Bladerunner in their leisure time, why do they act as if this is sacrosanct in their formal work? In this well- argued and refreshing discussion of the history and importance of literary criticism, Milner embraces a reality that many in the academy still fear, that cultural studies is alive, and it's here to stay.
Andrew Milner begins with an introduction to the field of cultural studies and its parent disciplines of English literature and sociology. He reviews the defining terms and the theoretical traditions in a manner that is sophisticated but accessible. He discusses just how and why cultural studies evolved, and what it has to offer our appraisal of all texts, be they old or new, print or film. Milner eschews both cultural populism and literary elitism in favor of a criticism that is more concerned with value than with exclusion. The author concludes this significant and insightful book with a demonstration of his theories, tying together a group of narratives ranging from Paradise Lost to the latest Frankenstein films. Literature, Culture and Society cogently examines the question of scholarship and forcefully demonstrates that rigorous academic inquiry need not be reserved for dust-covered texts alone.
Synopsis
Human Nature in Politics brings the competences and perspectives of law, philosophy and political science to bear on an imporant subject seldom treated at book length. The subject of human nature in politics is as old as systematic thought about politics. Out of favor for a period in modern times, it is now once more the subject of attention by political theorists who often borrow heavily from the disciplines of biology and psychology. The plurality of their approaches and insights is reflecteed in Part I of the book:
Perspectives on Human Nature.
Although appeals to human nature have historically been made by both radicals and conservatives, it is the latter who have more typically sought support from this source. However, modern radicals are beginning to re-explore the subject, as is evidenced in the second section on "Human Nature and Radical Political Thought."
In the concluding section of the book, four authors analyze the question of "Rationality and Human Nature" and, with a broader interpretation of rationality, find bases in human nature for some confidence that politics need not be an irrational enterprise. The bibliography at the end of the volume is of particular value for all students of political theory. Thirteen outstanding authors contribute to this volume, which must be of interest to legal philosophers and students of jurisprudence in all English-speaking countries.
About the Author
J. Roland holds a B.A. from Swarthmore College and an M.A. and a Ph.D. from Harvard University. He has taught for many years at Swarthmore College, where he is Richter Professor of Political Science Emeritus. He is the author of
Liberal Democracy: Its Merits and Prospects and other books and articles especially in the field of political theory.
John W. Chapman is retired from the University of Pittsburgh where he taught political science.