Ecocritical explorations in literary and cultural studies : fences, boundaries, and fields / Patrick D. Murphy.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Murphy, Patrick D., 1951-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

American literature--History and criticism.

American literature.

Ecocriticism.

Ecology in literature.

Philosophy of nature in literature.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (230 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Lanham : Lexington Books, c2009.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

In Ecocritical Explorations, Patrick D. Murphy explores environmental literature and environmental cultural issues through both theoretical and applied criticism. He engages with the concepts of referentiality, simplicity, the nation state, and virtual reality in the first section of the book, and then goes on to interrogate these issues in contemporary environmental literature, both American and international. He concludes his argument with a discussion of the larger frames of family dynamics and un-natural disasters, such as hurricanes and global warming, ending with a chapter on the integration of scholarship and pedagogy in the classroom, with reference to his own teaching experiences. Murphy's study provides a wide ranging discussion of contemporary literature and cultural phenomena through the lens of ecological literary criticism, giving attention to both theoretical issues and applied critiques. In particular, he looks at popular literary genres, such as mystery and science fiction, as well as actual disasters and disaster scenarios. Ecocritical Explorations in Literary and Cultural Studies is a timely contribution to ecological literary criticism and an insightful look into how we represent our relationship with the environment.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Introduction Part 2 Climbing Through Conceptual Fences Chapter 3 The Complexity of Simplicity Chapter 4 Difference and Responsibility in Literary Alternatives to Nation State Chapter 5 Paradise or a Pair of Dice: Contradictions and Contingencies in Real and Virtual Terrains for Tomorrow's College Students Chapter 6 Toward Transnational Ecocritical Theory: The Example of Hwa Yol Jung Part 7 Surveying the Boundaries of Genre Chapter 8 Nature in the Contemporary American Novel Chapter 9 The Non-alibi of Alien Scapes: SF and Ecocriticism Chapter 10 The Non-alibi of Pragmatic Utopianism and Wild Variability; or, Optimistic Variations on a Science Fiction Theme Chapter 11 Mysteries of Nature and Environmental Justice Part 12 Culturally Crossing the Field Chapter 13 Nature Nurturing Fathers in a World beyond our Control Chapter 14 Scenarios of Disaster: Crying Wolf, Scaring away the Elephants, and Heading 'Em off at the Pass Chapter 15 Hurricanes and Hubris Chapter 16 Ranging Widely to Find Home

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. 193-207) and index.

Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher; resource not viewed.

ISBN:

979-82-16-20588-3

1-282-49377-9

9786612493775

0-7391-3175-3

OCLC:

435630948