Representing Social Precarity in German Literature and Film

This volume examines the historical genesis of precarity, its evolution from 19th-century industrial modernity to the present, and its reflections and reconfigurations in artistic production, particularly with regard to work, gender, and sexuality. It explores how German and Austrian literature, film, and social history have engaged with social precarity, from the period of Romanticism and early industrialization to the present, and offers new critical perspectives on diverse forms of lived precarity and their creative manifestations.

Format: Hardback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 02 November 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

This comprehensive volume examines the historical origins, evolution, and ramifications of precarity in Germany, serving as a valuable case study. Spanning from the 19th-century industrial modernity to the present, it explores the profound reflections and reconfigurations of precarity in artistic production, particularly in relation to work, gender, and sexuality.

Sociologist Pierre Bourdieu's assertion that "precarity is everywhere now" has gained widespread recognition, as declining middle-class standards, debt, drug addiction, housing and food insecurity, depression, and "deaths of despair" have become emblematic of the downward spiral of social precarity. While neoliberal policies of deregulation, privatization, and disregard for the common good have been blamed for this phenomenon, precarization has been a persistent feature throughout the booms and busts of industrial modernity.

Representing Social Precarity in German Literature and Film delves into how German and Austrian literature, film, and social history have grappled with the issue of precarity. Spanning from the Romanticism and early industrialization periods to the present, the chapters in this volume explore precarity as both an objective phenomenon reflected in literary and filmic representations and as a subjective experience that shapes these representations uniquely.

By examining the history of capitalist modernity from the perspectives of weakness, vulnerability, marginality, impoverishment, and otherness, this volume offers fresh critical insights into diverse manifestations of lived precarity and their artistic expressions. It sheds light on the ways in which precarity has permeated various aspects of society, challenging traditional narratives and prompting a reevaluation of our understanding of social inequality and resilience.

In conclusion, Representing Social Precarity in German Literature and Film is a groundbreaking work that contributes significantly to our understanding of precarity and its impact on society. By exploring the historical roots, evolution, and creative expressions of precarity, this volume provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics of power, inequality, and resilience in modern societies.

Dimension: 216 x 140 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501391477