Literature, Education, and Society: Bridging the Gap

The crisis in literature and the arts education is due to budget cuts and students' preference for practical knowledge. Literature, Education, and Society emphasizes the value of the arts by providing distinctive domains of experience that stress significant values not typically provided by other disciplines. The book distinguishes between a focus on experience of what solicits knowledge and a focus on experience as which encourages careful attention to what can be embedded in particular experiences. It also argues that the making of art is an act of doubling, which fashions some aspect of experience and invites self-conscious participation in the intensity provided by the particular work.

Format: Hardback
Length: 84 pages
Publication date: 30 November 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The field of education is currently facing a significant crisis, particularly in the areas of literature and the arts. Educators specializing in these areas are grappling with severe budget cuts, largely due to the growing trend among students to pursue majors that offer clear, practical knowledge and the promise of lucrative careers. In response to this crisis, these educators have stressed the importance of the arts in providing valuable forms of knowledge by testing moral values and developing the critical thinking skills necessary to understand the underlying causes of perennial social problems.

"Literature, Education, and Society" offers a novel approach by shifting the focus from knowledge to the unique domains of experience provided by literature and the arts. Practical disciplines, on the other hand, tend to treat experiences as instances for which we learn to provide interpretive generalizations, making knowledge possible and helping us establish concrete programs for acting in accordance with what we come to know. However, the arts do not encourage generalizing from particulars. Instead, they emphasize the appreciation of the unique qualities of individual experiences, such as sensitivity, intensity, and the ability to elicit empathy.

To illustrate this crucial difference, the book distinguishes sharply between a focus on the experience of what solicits knowledge and a focus on the experience as which encourages careful attention to what can be embedded within particular experiences. It then characterizes the act of making art as an act of doubling, where the making fashions some aspect of experience and invites self-conscious participation in the intensity provided by the particular work.

Throughout the book, the author explores various aspects of doubling, including the relationship between art and politics, the role of imagination in education, and the ethical implications of artistic practice. By examining these topics, the book provides a comprehensive understanding of the ways in which literature and the arts can contribute to the development of individuals and society as a whole.

In conclusion, the crisis facing the field of education in literature and the arts is a complex and multifaceted issue. However, by emphasizing the unique value of the arts in providing distinctive domains of experience that stress significant values not typically provided by other disciplines, "Literature, Education, and Society" offers a fresh strategy for addressing this crisis. By focusing on the experience of what solicits knowledge and the act of doubling, the book provides a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate about the role of the arts in education and society.

Weight: 218g
Dimension: 145 x 223 x 10 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032393162