Ecocritical Explorations in Literary and Cultural Studies

Theoretically sophisticated yet refreshingly readable, this wide-ranging study of contemporary, mainly genre-based fiction (sci-fi, mystery, crime, pseudo-documentary) makes an important addition to previous writing on the contribution of literature to environmental education. Murphy's sympathetic but critical evaluation of the literary treatment of the simple life, urban development, nanotechnology, hurricanes, and other less predictable themes such as father-daughter relationships, not least in young adult fiction, is as innovative as his arguments for the potential of simulated and mediated experience to enhance environmental awareness and his advocacy of an allonational approach, replacing the nation state with smaller and larger units sharing vital environmental interests. The revelation of sometimes surprising subtleties and complexities will make encouraging and stimulating reading for all teachers of environmental literature. Murphy's book is a thoughtfully constructive engagement with the sobering critique of contemporary arrogance and the inspiring glimpses of alternatives present in contemporary American nature-oriented writing. -- Axel Goodbody, professor of German studies and European culture, University of Bath This book is truly international in scope and substantively addresses a number of the major concerns facing ecocriticism today: the role of language and other representations (including virtual reality) in mediating our relationships with the world aroundus; the potential of popular literature (especially SF) to promote environmentally responsible thinking and behavior; the ways literary and cultural critics can productively respond to natural disasters and the other material effects of environmental degradation; and the importance of rethinking our pedagogical practices as well as our texts when we teach environmentally-themed courses. By interweaving his own experiences as a father, teacher, and resident of Florida into his literary and cultural analyses, Murphy also bridges the divide between the personal and the critical and brings added relevance to the issues he discusses. As I read this book, my mind was racing with the implications for my own work and teaching. I came away with a treasure-trove of exciting books to read, a new insight into the reading practices of my students, and a renewed appreciation for the power of a theoretically-informed yet personally grounded ecocriticism to illuminate not only the environmental themes of literature b -- Karla Armbruster, Associate Professor and Chair in English, Co-Chair in Environmental Studies, Webster University This a necessary, updated record of the study of literature and the environment and the concomitant exigencies of reconsidering how humans inhabit the earth. Highly recommended. * CHOICE, January 2010 * No ecocritic is better or more widely read than Patrick Murphy. The chapters are a pleasure to read because one has a sense of being guided through literature that should always be on one's radar. The analysis is satisfying and deeply thoughtful, but best of all, this analysis is done with a wonderful sense of irony and humor.... This book will take its place among the most important publications in the field of environmental literary studies. -- Joni Adamson, Professor, Environmental Humanities, Arizona State University, and co-editor, Keywords for Environmental Studies This book is truly international in scope and substantively addresses a number of the major concerns facing ecocriticism today: the role of language and other representations (including virtual reality) in mediating our relationships with the world around us; the potential of popular literature (especially SF) to promote environmentally responsible thinking and behavior; the ways literary and cultural critics can productively respond to natural disasters and the other material effects of environmental degradation; and the importance of rethinking our pedagogica

Patrick D. Murphy is professor of English at the University of Central Florida.

Chapter 1 Introduction Part 2 Climbing Through Conceptual Fences Chapter 3 The Complexity of Simplicity Chapter 4 Difference and Responsibility in Literary Alternatives to Nation State Chapter 5 Paradise or a Pair of Dice: Contradictions and Contingencies in Real and Virtual Terrains for Tomorrow's College Students Chapter 6 Toward Transnational Ecocritical Theory: The Example of Hwa Yol Jung Part 7 Surveying the Boundaries of Genre Chapter 8 Nature in the Contemporary American Novel Chapter 9 The Non-alibi of Alien Scapes: SF and Ecocriticism Chapter 10 The Non-alibi of Pragmatic Utopianism and Wild Variability; or, Optimistic Variations on a Science Fiction Theme Chapter 11 Mysteries of Nature and Environmental Justice Part 12 Culturally Crossing the Field Chapter 13 Nature Nurturing Fathers in a World beyond our Control Chapter 14 Scenarios of Disaster: Crying Wolf, Scaring away the Elephants, and Heading 'Em off at the Pass Chapter 15 Hurricanes and Hubris Chapter 16 Ranging Widely to Find Home