Literary Studies and Human Flourishing

The Humanities and Human Flourishing series publishes edited volumes that explore the role of human flourishing in the central disciplines of the humanities and whether and how the humanities can increase human happiness. This volume of essays investigates how literary scholars can contribute to social scientific research on human happiness and flourishing. The contributors reflect on how their literary research can become part of an interdisciplinary conversation about human flourishing, covering literary aesthetics, book history, digital humanities, reader reception, and inter-disciplines such as gender and sexuality studies, disability studies, and black studies.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 14 March 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

The Humanities and Human Flourishing series is dedicated to exploring the role of human flourishing within the core disciplines of the humanities and examining the potential for the humanities to enhance human happiness. In this volume of essays, contributors delve into the question of what literary scholars can contribute to social scientific research on human happiness and flourishing.

While literary studies may be perceived as resistant to the influences of positive psychology and the prevailing discourse of human flourishing, this volume seeks to engage with these perspectives rather than dismiss them outright. The contributors reflect on how their literary research, which they are deeply committed to, can be integrated into an interdisciplinary conversation about human flourishing.

The contributors' areas of research encompass a wide range of topics, including literary aesthetics, book history, digital humanities, and reader reception. Additionally, they engage with important inter-disciplinary fields such as gender and sexuality studies, disability studies, and black studies, which have critically examined the discourse of human flourishing for its failure to address structural inequality and human difference.

It is worth noting that literary scholars are often drawn to the complexities and uncertainties of a field of inquiry that is still largely confined to the sciences. By focusing on the trouble spots within this field, Literary Studies and Human Flourishing provides the foundation for new and more productive forms of interdisciplinary collaboration and exchange.

In conclusion, this volume of essays offers valuable insights into the contributions of literary scholars to social scientific research on human happiness and flourishing. By engaging with the challenges and complexities of the field, the contributors pave the way for more interdisciplinary collaboration and exchange, ultimately contributing to a deeper understanding of human flourishing and its potential to enhance human well-being.

Weight: 370g
Dimension: 258 x 562 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197637234