Hauntology

The term "Hauntology" refers to our fascination with the supernatural, the revenants of an earlier age, and the occult in contemporary culture. It has evolved since the 1990s and has entered the cultural mainstream as a shorthand for our obsession with the recent past. This book explores our nostalgia for the cultural artefacts of a past from which we seem unable to break free, moving between the literary and the theoretical, the visual and the political.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 320 pages
\n Publication date: 22 October 2020
\n Publisher: Oldcastle Books Ltd
\n

Ghosts and specters, the eerie and the occult. Why is contemporary culture so preoccupied with the supernatural, so captivated by the revenants of an earlier age, so haunted? The concept of Hauntology has evolved since first emerging in the 1990s, and has now entered the cultural mainstream as a shorthand for our new-found obsession with the recent past. But where does this term come from and what exactly does it mean?

This book seeks to answer these questions by examining the history of our fascination with the uncanny from the golden age of the Victorian ghost story to the present day. From Dickens to Derrida, MR James to Mark Fisher; from the rise of Spiritualism to the folk horror revival, Hauntology traces our continuing engagement with these esoteric ideas. Moving between the literary and the theoretical, the visual and the political, Hauntology explores our nostalgia for the cultural artefacts of a past from which we seem unable to break free.

The concept of Hauntology emerged in the 1990s as a way to describe our fascination with the supernatural, the occult, and the recent past. It draws on a range of disciplines, including literature, philosophy, sociology, and cultural studies, to explore our enduring interest in these esoteric ideas. Hauntology explores our nostalgia for the cultural artefacts of a past from which we seem unable to break free. It examines our fascination with the uncanny, the occult, and the recent past, and how these ideas have evolved over time.

The book explores our fascination with the supernatural, the occult, and the recent past from a range of perspectives. It examines the rise of Spiritualism in the nineteenth century, the popularity of ghost stories in the Victorian era, and the emergence of folk horror in the twentieth century. Hauntology also explores our fascination with technology, particularly the internet, and how it has enabled us to connect with the past in new and innovative ways.

One of the key themes of Hauntology is our desire to understand the nature of the uncanny and the occult. The book argues that these phenomena are not simply supernatural or supernatural, but are instead complex and multifaceted. The uncanny is often described as a sense of discomfort or unease that arises when we encounter something that is familiar but also strange or unfamiliar. The occult, on the other hand, is a set of beliefs and practices that are often associated with the supernatural, such as magic, witchcraft, and spiritualism.

Hauntology also explores the ways in which these phenomena have been used to shape our cultural and political identities. The book argues that the supernatural and the occult have been used to justify a range of political and social ideologies, from colonialism to fascism. It also explores how these phenomena have been used to challenge and subvert dominant narratives, such as the idea that history is linear and progress is inevitable.

In conclusion, Hauntology is a fascinating and important book that offers a new way of thinking about our fascination with the supernatural, the occult, and the recent past. It explores our nostalgia for the cultural artefacts of a past from which we seem unable to break free, and offers a range of insights into the complex and multifaceted nature of these phenomena. Whether you are a scholar of literature, philosophy, or cultural studies, or simply someone who is interested in the strange and the mysterious, this book is a must-read.

\n Weight: 230g\n
Dimension: 130 x 198 x 28 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780857304193\n \n