A cultural history of the senses in the Modern Age, 1920-2000 / edited by David Howes.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Howes, David, 1957-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Senses and sensation--History--20th century.

Senses and sensation.

Perception--History--20th century.

Perception.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xi, 284 pages) : illustrations

Place of Publication:

London ; New York, N.Y. : Bloomsbury, 2014.

Summary:

"In the twentieth century, many aspects of life became 'a matter of perception' in the wake of the multiplication of media, stylistic experimentation, and the rise of multiculturalisUnderstanding the senses is indispensable for comprehending the Middle Ages because both a theoretical and a practical involvement with the senses played a central role in the development of ideology and cultural practice in this period. For the long medieval millennium, the senses were not limited to the five we think of: speech, for example, was categorized among the senses of the mouth. And sight and hearing were not always the dominant senses: for the medical profession, taste was more decisive. Nor were the senses only passive receptors: they were understood to play an active role in the process of perception and were also a vital element in the formation of each individual's moral identity. From the development of specifically urban or commercial sensations to the sensory regimes of holiness, from the senses as indicators of social status revealed in food to the Scholastic analysis of perception, this volume demonstrates the importance of sensory experience and its manifold interpretations in the Middle Ages. A Cultural History of the Senses in the Middle Ages presents essays on the following topics: the social life of the senses; urban sensations; the senses in the marketplace; the senses in religion; the senses in philosophy and science; medicine and the senses; the senses in literature; art and the senses; and sensory mediam. Life sped up as a result of new modes of transportation - automobiles and airplanes - and communication - telephones and personal computers - which emphasized the rapid movement of people and ideas. The proliferation of synthetic products and simulated experiences, from artificial flavours to video games, in turn, created heady virtual worlds of sensation. This progressive mediation and acceleration of sensation, along with the sensory and environmental pollution it often spawned, also sparked various countertrends, such as the 'back to nature' movement, the craft movement, slow food and alternative medicine. This volume shows how attending to the sensory dynamics of the modern age yields many fresh insights into the intertwined processes which gave the twentieth century its particular feel of technological prowess and gaudy artificiality.The Cultural History of the Senses set delves into the sensory foundations of Western civilization, taking a comprehensive period-by-period approach which provides a broad understanding of the life of the senses from antiquity to the modern day. Each of the volumes explores the following topics: The Social Life of the Senses; Urban Sensations; The Senses in the Marketplace; The Senses in Religion; The Senses in Philosophy and Science; Medicine and the Senses; The Senses in Literature; The Senses in Art; and Sensory Media. Superbly illustrated, this six-volume set is the most authoritative and comprehensive historical survey of the senses available."-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Machine generated contents note:

IllustrationsGeneral Editor's PrefaceIntroduction1. The Social Life of the Senses2. Urban and Rural Sensations3. Consumption and the Senses4. The Senses in Religion5. The Senses in Philosophy and Science6. Medicine and the Senses7. The Senses in Literature8. Art and the Senses9. Sensory MediaNotesBibliographyContributorsIndex.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 244-267) and index.

Electronic reproduction. London : Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014. Available via World Wide Web. Access limited by licensing agreement. s2014 dcunns

Other Format:

Original

ISBN:

9781474233187 (online)

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.