From Empire to Anthropocene: The Novel in Posthistorical Times

Contemporary novels use narrative time to counter cultural homogenization and historical flattening, offering a new theory of critical globality. Betty Joseph examines time in contemporary life through five conceptual metaphors: specters, attachments, networks, markets, and assemblages, developing a mode of reading called conceptual-metaphorical performances. This book paves the way for a new literary theorization of contemporary Anglophone literature and contributes to cultural studies.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 19 September 2023
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press

In her groundbreaking book, "From Empire to Anthropocene," Betty Joseph explores the fascinating ways in which contemporary fiction engages with the challenges of cultural homogenization and historical flattening. Through a captivating constellation of writers such as Jamaica Kincaid, Teju Cole, Hari Kunzru, and Barbara Kingsolver, Joseph delves into the intricate interplay of concrete and abstract temporalities, offering a novel theory of critical globality.

Joseph's exploration of time in contemporary life is conducted through five conceptual metaphors that have captured the attention of literary, critical, and cultural studies scholars. These metaphors include specters, attachments, networks, markets, and assemblages. Joseph meticulously examines these terms, revealing their own temporal structures and linguistic complexities. She develops a unique mode of reading called conceptual-metaphorical performances, which encapsulates the writers' complex chronopolitical commitments and their unwavering resistance to the political paralysis inherent in the synchronous and flattened world-time of globality.

Rather than focusing solely on space, Joseph argues that time is the axis along which contemporary fiction challenges us to envision forms of coexistence and social collectivity amidst the precarious conditions of global capitalism and environmental damage. By engaging with postcolonialism and Marxist theory in conversation with critical global and ecological perspectives, "From Empire to Anthropocene" dismantles the notion that so-called English-language world literature precludes the possibility of historical analysis and social collectivity. This book serves as a groundbreaking contribution to literary theory, offering a fresh perspective on contemporary Anglophone literature and enriching the field of cultural studies.

Weight: 340g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781421446981