Genre, Race, and the Production of Subjectivity in German Romanticism

German Romanticism entangled aesthetic philosophy with racialized models of humanity, prioritizing an idealized, and racially coded, universality. Close readings of canonical and less-studied Romantic texts reveal the intimately entwined histories of racialized subjectivity and aesthetic theory, and how literary genre is both symptomatic and generative of the cultural violence that underpinned the colonial project.

Format: Hardback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 15 April 2024
Publisher: Northwestern University Press

Late Enlightenment philosophers and writers like Herder, Goethe, and Schiller pushed the boundaries of form and genre to prioritize an idealized and racially coded universality. They drew upon newly translated literatures from colonial contexts to shape their vision of a distinctively "German" national literary tradition that celebrated modernity and freedom while reinforcing key elements of modern notions of whiteness. Stephanie Galasso's insightful analysis delves into the intricate connections between racialized subjectivity and aesthetic theory, revealing how literary genres both reflect and contribute to the cultural violence that undergirded the colonial project.

Through close readings of both canonical and lesser-studied Romantic texts, Galasso uncovers the deeply intertwined histories of racialized subjectivity and aesthetic theory. She demonstrates how literary genres serve as both symptoms and generative forces of the cultural violence that underpinned the colonial enterprise.

Poetic expression and its generic conventions continue to exert a powerful influence on the framing and reception of stories that explore interpersonal and structural experiences of oppression. Genre, Race, and the Production of Subjectivity in German Romanticism delves into how white subjectivity is safeguarded by symbolic and material forms of violence.

This book offers a valuable contribution to the study of German Romanticism, race, and subjectivity, shedding light on the complex ways in which aesthetics, literature, and culture intersected to shape the colonial project and the construction of white identity. It will be of interest to scholars and students of literature, history, and cultural studies.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780810146808