Beginnings – serie

Beginning theory has been helping students navigate through the thickets of literary and cultural theory for over two decades. This new and expanded fourth edition continues to offer readers the best single-volume introduction to the field.The bewildering variety of approaches, theorists and technical language is lucidly and expertly unravelled. Unlike many books which assume certain positions about the critics and the theories they represent, Beginning theory allows readers to develop their own ideas once first principles and concepts have been grasped.The book has been updated for this edition and includes a new introduction, expanded chapters, and an overview of the subject ('Theory after "Theory"') which maps the arrival of new 'isms' since the second edition appeared in 2002 and the third edition in 2009.

Since the late 1960s, American literature has been revitalised by the work of writers such as Toni Morrison, Sherman Alexie, Sandra Cisneros and Maxine Hong Kingston. An introduction to the study of ethnic American fictions organised into four sections, each written by a specialist in the fields of African American, Asian American, Chicano/a and native American literature. Writers are discussed in their cultural/political contexts and literary traditions (rather than as exceptions or as individuals, or on a generic basis). The book highlights common themes in ethnic writing as well as specificities, and has extensive suggestions for further reading as well as a critical introduction regarding the concept of 'ethnic writing'. No competing titles - there are no textbooks, no beginners' books nor any systematised combination of ethnic fictions such as this - only edited collections on each area.

'Beginning Shakespeare' introduces students to the study of Shakespeare, and grounds their understanding of his work in theoretical discourses. After an introductory survey of the dominant approaches of the past, seven chapters examine the major current critical approaches to Shakespeare; psychoanalysis, New Historicism, Cultural Materialism, gender studies, queer theory, postcolonial criticism and performance criticism. A further chapter looks at the growing roles of biography, attribution studies and textual studies.Each chapter analyses the strengths and weaknesses of a particular perspective, allowing students to gain a clear critical purchase on the respective approaches, and to make informed choices between them. Each chapter ends with a list of suggested further reading and interactive exercises based on the key issues raised.An invaluable introduction, essential for anyone studying Shakespeare, 'Beginning Shakespeare' offers students a map of the current critical practices, and a sense of the possibilities for developing their own approaches.

Modernism was the artistic and intellectual revolution of the early twentieth century. Yet despite its now-secure location in history, the radical experimental practices of modernism continue to bewilder as much as they excite. Beginning Modernism offers a clear and reader-friendly introduction to this complex and invigorating subject. With an emphasis on the close reading of modernist artefacts, from literary texts to buildings, paintings to musical compositions, the book aims to demystify the notorious difficulties of ‘high’ modernism, showing them to be an incentive rather than an obstacle to understanding and exploration. At the same time, it highlights the emergence of a new modernist studies, emphasizing the eclectic, the popular, and the global or transnational. Readers are encouraged to situate their reading of modernist literature within a wider set of cultural contexts, which include: visual art; ideas of time and space; sculpture; photography; film; politics; technology; sexuality; primitivism; architecture; dance; drama, and music. Beginning Modernism will be of interest both to the general reader, and to undergraduates and postgraduates in the fields of literary studies, art history and cultural studies.

Modernism was the artistic and intellectual revolution of the early twentieth century. Yet despite its now-secure location in history, the radical experimental practices of modernism continue to bewilder as much as they excite. Beginning Modernism offers a clear and reader-friendly introduction to this complex and invigorating subject. With an emphasis on the close reading of modernist artefacts, from literary texts to buildings, paintings to musical compositions, the book aims to demystify the notorious difficulties of ‘high’ modernism, showing them to be an incentive rather than an obstacle to understanding and exploration. At the same time, it highlights the emergence of a new modernist studies, emphasizing the eclectic, the popular, and the global or transnational. Readers are encouraged to situate their reading of modernist literature within a wider set of cultural contexts, which include: visual art; ideas of time and space; sculpture; photography; film; politics; technology; sexuality; primitivism; architecture; dance; drama, and music. Beginning Modernism will be of interest both to the general reader, and to undergraduates and postgraduates in the fields of literary studies, art history and cultural studies.

Realism is an essential concept in literary studies, yet for a variety of reasons it has not received the attention and clarity it deserves, often being dismissed as ‘too slippery’ to be of use. This accessible study remedies that failing for students and scholars of English Literature and Literary Theory alike, plainly setting out what realism is, the issues surrounding it, and its role in other major literary modes such as modernism and postmodernism. Beginning Realism gives detailed coverage of the nineteenth-century realist novel through its focus on novels by Gaskell, Eliot, Trollope, Dickens, Mrs Oliphant, Thackeray and Zola. As well as discussing ‘the novel’, the book also includes chapters on the use of realism in drama and poetry and a chapter on ‘the language of realism’, another aspect often overlooked in analysis of the concept.

Realism is an essential concept in literary studies, yet for a variety of reasons it has not received the attention and clarity it deserves, often being dismissed as ‘too slippery’ to be of use. This accessible study remedies that failing for students and scholars of English Literature and Literary Theory alike, plainly setting out what realism is, the issues surrounding it, and its role in other major literary modes such as modernism and postmodernism. Beginning Realism gives detailed coverage of the nineteenth-century realist novel through its focus on novels by Gaskell, Eliot, Trollope, Dickens, Mrs Oliphant, Thackeray and Zola. As well as discussing ‘the novel’, the book also includes chapters on the use of realism in drama and poetry and a chapter on ‘the language of realism’, another aspect often overlooked in analysis of the concept.

Beginning film studies offers the most lucid, thorough and up-to-the-minute introduction to this popular subject. Written with verve and wit, it reviews a wealth of significant trends in the discipline's past and present, and looks ahead to new directions for film studies.The discussions are enlivened by references to film cultures as diverse as 'classical' Hollywood, the French 'New Wave' and India, to stars like Johnny Depp, genres such as noir, romance and action, it also examines more 'geographical' turns such as production and consumption. Each chapter concentrates on the essential elements, and each contains full bibliographies, stop and think sections and lists of appropriate websites.Comprehensive and entertaining, it is sure to take its place alongside the popular and bestselling titles already published in this series.

Postcolonialism has become one of the most exciting, popular and stimulating fields of literary and cultural studies in recent years. Yet the variety of approaches, the range of debate and the critical vocabularies often used may make it challenging for new students to establish a firm foothold in this area.Beginning Postcolonialism is a vital resource for those taking undergraduate courses in postcolonial studies for the first time and has become an established international best-seller in the field. In this fully revised and updated second edition, John McLeod introduces the major areas of concern in a clear, accessible and organised fashion. He provides an overview of the emergence of postcolonialism as a discipline and closely examines its many established critical approaches while also exploring important recent initiatives in the field. In particular, Beginning Postcolonialism demonstrates how many key postcolonial ideas and concepts can be effectively applied when reading texts and enables students to develop their own independent thinking about the possibilities and pitfalls of postcolonial critique.

'Postmodernism' became the buzzword of contemporary society in the 1990s. Yet, even now, it still remains confusing and baffling in its variety of definitions, contexts and associations. Beginning postmodernism aims to offer clear, accessible and step-by-step introductions to postmodernism across a wide range of subjects. It encourages readers to explore how the debates about postmodernism have emerged from basic philosophical and cultural ideas, and to develop comparative connections and ideas from one area to another. With its emphasis firmly on 'postmodernism in practice', the book contains questions designed to help readers understand and reflect upon a variety of positions within the following areas of contemporary culture: philosophy and cultural theory; architecture and concepts of space; visual art, sculpture and material culture; pupular culture and music; film, video and television; and the social sciences

Beginning Irish Studies provides a comprehensive introduction to the history and development of the increasingly influential academic discipline of Irish Studies and acknowledges its importance as a dynamic and constantly evolving method for analysing drama, literature, film and poetry in Ireland. It guides the reader to an understanding of the contextual underpinnings of this academic discipline – including gender, empire, eco-criticism, memory studies, and intersectionality– as well as the interpretation of these in cultural and critical theory. Beginning Irish Studies is both an introduction to the academic discipline of Irish Studies and an invitation to its readers to consider its further developments from various theoretical perspectives. It also endeavours to envisage the future Intersectional alliances that Irish Studies might make in the coming years across the international areas of literature, culture, and politics.

Beginning Irish Studies provides a comprehensive introduction to the history and development of the increasingly influential academic discipline of Irish Studies and acknowledges its importance as a dynamic and constantly evolving method for analysing drama, literature, film and poetry in Ireland. It guides the reader to an understanding of the contextual underpinnings of this academic discipline – including gender, empire, eco-criticism, memory studies, and intersectionality– as well as the interpretation of these in cultural and critical theory. Beginning Irish Studies is both an introduction to the academic discipline of Irish Studies and an invitation to its readers to consider its further developments from various theoretical perspectives. It also endeavours to envisage the future Intersectional alliances that Irish Studies might make in the coming years across the international areas of literature, culture, and politics.

Beginning film studies offers the ideal introduction to this vibrant subject. Written accessibly and with verve, it ranges across the key topics and manifold approaches to film studies. Andrew Dix has thoroughly updated the first edition, and this new volume includes new case studies, overviews of recent developments in the discipline, and up-to-the-minute suggestions for further reading.The book begins by considering some of film's formal features - mise-en-scène, editing and sound - before moving outwards to narrative, genre, authorship, stardom and ideology. Later chapters on film industries and on film consumption - where and how we watch movies - assess the discipline's recent geographical 'turn'.The book references many film cultures, including Hollywood, Bollywood and contemporary Hong Kong. Case studies cover such topics as sound in The Great Gatsby and narrative in Inception. The superhero movie is studied; so too is Jennifer Lawrence. Beginning film studies is also interactive, with readers enabled throughout to reflect critically upon the field.

Beginning classical social theory introduces students and educated general readers to thirteen key social theorists by way of examining a single, exemplary text by each author, ranging from Comte to Adorno. It answers the need for a book that helps students develop the skill to critically read theory.Rather than learning how to admire the canonical theorists, readers are alerted to the flow of their arguments and the texts’ contradictions and limitations. Having gotten ‘under the skin’ of one key text by each author will provide readers with a solid starting point for further study.The book will be suitable as the principal textbook in social theory modules as much as alongside a more conventional textbook as a recommended additional tool for self-study. It will appeal to undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as educated lay readers.

Beginning literary animal studies is an introduction to the rapidly developing field of human-animal studies in the humanities with particular emphasis on literature. The book introduces the foundations of this subject in science, theory and ethics, and its development in the close study of the relationship that humans have with other animal species. Human-animal studies are advancing across a very broad front, the book unpicks the various strands in this approach and demonstrates how they may be applied in practical examples of literary criticism of creative non-fiction, fiction and poetry. Growing interest in the part played by animals in our culture and of our culture’s impact on animals, has inspired contemporary writers. It has also led critics in the humanities to new interpretations of both contemporary and canonical works. This book introduces the whole field of literary animal studies in a way that enables students to choose how they will approach this important field of study.