Comparative Practices - Literature, Language, and Culture in Britain's Long Eighteenth Century

Comparisons are essential for modernity, social life, and art, and the contributors to this book investigate how comparative practices shaped eighteenth-century literature and culture.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 220 pages
Publication date: 11 March 2022
Publisher: Transcript Verlag

Comparisons play a crucial role in the epistemological foundation of modernity, as emphasized by Foucault and Luhmann. Moreover, they hold a vital significance in social life and the realm of art. Drawing inspiration from the Practice Turn in sociology, the contributors to this book delve into the exploration of comparative practices' role in shaping eighteenth-century literature and culture. The book conceptualizes social practices of comparison as deeply intertwined within networks of the circulation of bodies, artifacts, discourses, and ideas. Its primary objective is to investigate how these practices ordered and transformed British literature and culture throughout the long eighteenth century.

In the early modern period, Europe experienced a profound transformation as a result of various factors, including the rise of capitalism, the expansion of trade, and the emergence of new technologies. These developments led to the creation of new social structures, the emergence of new forms of knowledge, and the development of new modes of expression. One of the most significant developments of this period was the rise of comparative literature. Comparative literature emerged as a response to the growing need for scholars to compare and analyze literature from different cultures and languages.

Comparative literature is a field that examines the relationships between literature from different cultures and languages. It seeks to understand how literature reflects the social, political, and cultural contexts in which it is produced and how it contributes to the formation of a common cultural heritage. Comparative literature also aims to identify the common themes and motifs that unite literature from different cultures and languages and to explore the ways in which these themes and motifs are interpreted and reinterpreted by different writers and readers.

One of the key approaches to comparative literature is the cultural turn. The cultural turn emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a response to the dominance of Western cultural hegemony in the field of literary studies. The cultural turn challenged the notion that literature was a product of individual genius and instead emphasized the role of culture in the production of literature. The cultural turn also challenged the notion that literature was a universal language that could be understood by all people. Instead, it argued that literature was a product of specific cultural contexts and that it was shaped by the social, political, and economic structures of those contexts.

The cultural turn led to the development of new methods and approaches to comparative literature. One of these methods is the postcolonial approach. The postcolonial approach is a critical approach to the study of literature that focuses on the ways in which literature is shaped by the colonial experience. The postcolonial approach seeks to understand how literature is used to perpetuate colonial power and how it is used to resist colonial power.

Another key approach to comparative literature is the feminist approach. The feminist approach is a critical approach to the study of literature that focuses on the ways in which literature represents and reinforces gender inequality. The feminist approach seeks to understand how literature contributes to the marginalization of women and how it can be used to promote gender equality.

The contributors to this book are investigating the role of comparative practices in the formation of eighteenth-century literature and culture. They are particularly interested in the ways in which comparative practices were used to order and change British literature and culture during the long eighteenth century. The book will explore the ways in which comparative practices were used to create new forms of knowledge, to promote new forms of expression, and to shape new forms of social and political identity.

The book will also explore the ways in which comparative practices were used to challenge and undermine the dominant forms of knowledge and expression in eighteenth-century Britain. For example, the book will explore the ways in which comparative practices were used to challenge the notion of British exceptionalism and to promote a more nuanced understanding of British history and culture.

In conclusion, comparisons play a crucial role in the epistemological foundation of modernity, as emphasized by Foucault and Luhmann. Moreover, they hold a vital significance in social life and the realm of art. The contributors to this book are investigating the role of comparative practices in the formation of eighteenth-century literature and culture. The book conceptualizes social practices of comparison as deeply intertwined within networks of the circulation of bodies, artifacts, discourses, and ideas. Its primary objective is to investigate how these practices ordered and transformed British literature and culture throughout the long eighteenth century. By exploring the role of comparative practices in the formation of eighteenth-century literature and culture, the book aims to contribute to a better understanding of the complex and dynamic relationships between different cultures and languages.

Weight: 358g
Dimension: 149 x 225 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783837657999