Affective Disorders: Emotion in Colonial and Postcolonial Literature

Affective Disorders explores the significance of emotion in colonial and postcolonial narratives, arguing that literary representations of emotion can be related to broader sociopolitical forces. It emphasizes the social origin of these emotions and their influence on literary discourse, providing a deeper understanding of the relationship between sociopolitical forces and affective and aesthetic disorders.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 200 pages
Publication date: 01 March 2022
Publisher: Liverpool University Press

Affective Disorders is a groundbreaking book that delves into the profound significance of emotion in a diverse array of colonial and postcolonial narratives. At the crossroads of postcolonial studies, affect studies, and narratology, this text offers a comprehensive exploration of the role of emotion in shaping the narratives of different historical contexts. Through meticulous close readings of renowned authors such as Naguib Mahfouz, Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis, and Upamanyu Chatterjee, among others, Bede Scott compellingly argues that the portrayal of emotion in literary works extends beyond the individual psychology of characters and the intricacies of plot development. Instead, it can be linked to broader sociopolitical forces that exert a profound influence on the emotional experiences of individuals.

In this book, Scott highlights the prevalence of anger as a collective response to the modernity of wartime Cairo, the jealousy inspired by the slave economy of imperial Brazil, and the overwhelming sense of boredom that emerged in the late 1980s amidst the bureaucratic procedures of the Indian Administrative Service. By examining these emotional manifestations, Affective Disorders sheds light on the complex interplay between individual feelings and broader social structures. Moreover, the book delves into the formal consequences of these emotions, exploring how affective states such as anger or jealousy can disrupt narratives, provoke crises of representation, evoke generic ambivalence, and rupture discursive boundaries.

One of the key insights of Affective Disorders is its emphasis on the social origin of emotions. By recognizing the sociopolitical factors that contribute to the emergence and expression of these emotions, the book provides a deeper understanding of the relationship between various sociopolitical forces and the affective and aesthetic disorders that they give rise to. This study challenges the notion of emotions as purely individual or subjective experiences and instead emphasizes their interconnectedness with broader social, cultural, and historical contexts.

Through its comprehensive analysis, Affective Disorders offers valuable insights into the complexities of emotion and its role in shaping literary narratives. It contributes to the growing body of literature that explores the intersection of emotion, power, and representation, providing a rich and nuanced understanding of the ways in which emotions shape our understanding of the world. Whether scholars, students, or readers interested in postcolonial studies, affective psychology, or literary analysis, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking to explore the profound impact of emotion on human experiences and the narratives that capture them.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781802070064