Politics and Literature at the Turn of the Millennium

by Michael Keren

Overview

Politics and Literature shows how important insights about genocide, poverty, state violence, world terrorism, the clash of civilizations, and other phenomena haunting the world at the turn of the millennium can be derived from contemporary novels. Keren demonstrates ways in which fictional literature can provide new perspectives on the complexities and contingencies of contemporary politics. His fresh readings of well-known novels will be valuable not only for political scientists but also for anyone interested in current affairs who reads fiction but is not always aware of its power to provide enlightenment on world issues. Works by José Saramago, Cormac McCarthy, Anosh Irani, John Le Carré, and Yann Martel, among others, are studied.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781552388020
Publisher:	University of Calgary Press
Publication date:	08/27/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Michael Keren is a professor in the Departments of Political Science and Communication, Media, and Film at the University of Calgary. He has lectured in many universities and other institutions worldwide and frequently comments on Israeli and global affairs in the media. He has authored numerous books including Blogosphere: The New Political Arena.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

1 Politics and Literature 1

2 The "Original Position" in Jose Saramago's Blindness 25

3 Absurdity and Revolt in Cormac McCarthy's The Road 47

4 The Bystander's Tale: Gil Courtemanche's A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali 69

5 Fiction and the Study of Slums: Anosh Irani's The Cripple and His Talismans 89

6 Narrative and Memory in Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore, Günter Grass's Crabwalk and Andre Brink's The Rights of Desire 101

7 The Politics of Victimhood in John Le Carre's Absolute Friends 125

8 The Quest for Identity in Sayed Kashua's Let It Be Morning 141

9 Political Escapism in Contemporary Israel: David Grossman's To the End of the Land 163

10 Body and Mind in Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake 185

11 A Canadian Alternative to the Clash of Civilisations: Yann Martel's Life of Pi 207

Notes 227

Bibliography 243

Index 249