Why theory?: Cultural critique in film and television

by Edward Tomarken

Overview

Edward Tomarken's previous book, Filmspeak, was a study of literary theory in relation to contemporary mainstream films. Some of the abstruse ideas of early literary theorists (1950-70) had in fact permeated our thinking to such an extent that both films and theories enriched and shed light upon one another. One early response to Filmspeak was the question 'Why theory?', a remark that provides the title of this new and exciting exploration of literature.In pursuit of an answer, Tomarken turns to the 'second generation' of critics (1970-2000), and analyses television programmes as well as films. He considers scholars such as Clifford Geertz and Martha Nussbaum who saw themselves as working in the field of cultural studies. Why theory? thus has a dual focus - on both culture and literary theory. The result of integrating cultural ideas with media interpretation sees Tomarken grapple with the question of the title: theory has become a part of our cultural life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781526118028
Publisher:	Manchester University Press
Publication date:	06/17/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	200
File size:	572 KB

About the Author

Edward Tomarken is Emeritus Professor of English at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio and Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Kent at Canterbury

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. Clifford Geertz

2. Hayden White and hi/story as mixture of fact and fiction

3. Julia Kristeva: the female perspective on culture

4. Homi Bhabha: postcolonial hybridity

5. Pierre Bourdieu and sociological theory

6. Martha Nussbaum: ethics and literary theory

Conclusion: The strands of the web of culture

Bibliography

Index