Nature and Literary Studies

Nature and Literary Studies supplies a broad overview of one of the most important and contested keywords in literary studies.

Peter Remien (Edited by), Scott Slovic (Edited by)

9781108836760, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 4 August 2022

438 pages
23.5 x 15.8 x 3 cm, 0.77 kg

Nature and Literary Studies supplies a broad and accessible overview of one of the most important and contested keywords in modern literary studies. Drawing together the work of leading scholars of a variety of critical approaches, historical periods, and cultural traditions, the book examines nature's philosophical, theological, and scientific origins in literature, as well as how literary representations of this concept evolved in response to colonialism, industrialization, and new forms of scientific knowledge. Surveying nature's diverse applications in twenty-first-century literary studies and critical theory, the volume seeks to reconcile nature's ideological baggage with its fundamental role in fostering appreciation of nonhuman being and agency. Including chapters on wilderness, pastoral, gender studies, critical race theory, and digital literature, the book is a key resource for students and professors seeking to understand nature's role in the environmental humanities.

Introduction: the Nature of Literature Peter Remien and Scott Slovic
Part I. Origins: 1. The book of nature Rebecca Davis
2. Pastoral Terry Gifford
3. Wilderness Debbie Lee
4. Lucretian materialism Brent Dawson
5. Natural philosophy Mary Thomas Crane
6. Natural history Ashton Nichols
Part II. Development: 7. Romantic nature Marc Cladis
8. The sublime Michele Speitz
9. Toward a transatlantic philosophy of nature Samantha Harvey
10. Indigenous naturecultures Rayson K. Alex
11. Postcolonial nature Philip Aghoghovwia
12. Extinction Timothy Sweet
13. Nature in the Anthropocene Ken Hiltner
Part III. Applications: 14. Nature, gender, sexuality Greta Gaard
15. Nature and race John Gamber
16. The nature of animality Michael Lundblad
17. Cultivating nature Shiuhhuah Serena Chou
18. Narrating nature Erin James
19. Digital nature Lai-Tze Fan
20. Toxic nature Pramod K. Nayar
21. Messages from within Serenella Iovino.

Subject Areas: Literary reference works [DSR], Literary studies: from c 1900 - [DSBH], Literary theory [DSA]