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The Palgrave Handbook of Philosophy and Literature

Palgrave Macmillan
  • Establishes an enduring framework for structuring the broad themes defining the relations between philosophy and literature

  • Examines how philosophy and literature depend on each other and interact

  • Combines continental and analytic approaches to the analysis of literature

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Table of contents (31 chapters)

  1. Philosophical Aesthetics

    1. Phenomenology

      • Alexander Kozin, Tanja Staehler
      Pages 365-384
    2. Language, Ontology, Fiction

      • Frederick Kroon, Alberto Voltolini
      Pages 385-406
    3. Deconstruction: Politics, Ethics, Aesthetics

      • Simon Morgan Wortham
      Pages 407-425
  2. Literary Criticism and Theory

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 427-427
    2. Literature as Theory: Literature and Truths

      • Michael Mack
      Pages 429-441
    3. Rhetoric

      • Rosaleen Keefe
      Pages 443-466
    4. Feminism and Gender

      • Kimberly J. Stern
      Pages 467-487
    5. Psychoanalysis

      • Will Long
      Pages 489-517
    6. Postcolonialism

      • Bill Ashcroft
      Pages 519-537
  3. Areas of Work Within Philosophy and Literature

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 539-539
    2. Politics and Literature

      • Michael Keren
      Pages 561-579
    3. Ethics and Literature

      • Liesbeth Korthals Altes, Hanna Meretoja
      Pages 601-621
    4. Literature and Political Economy

      • Aaron Kitch
      Pages 623-643
    5. Poetry’s Truth of Dialogue

      • Michael Mack
      Pages 665-677
  4. Back Matter

    Pages 679-779

About this book

This comprehensive Handbook presents the major perspectives within philosophy and literary studies on the relations, overlaps and tensions between philosophy and literature. Drawing on recent work in philosophy and literature, literary theory, philosophical aesthetics, literature as philosophy and philosophy as literature, its twenty-nine chapters plus substantial Introduction and Afterword examine the ways in which philosophy and literature depend on each other and interact, while also contrasting with each other in that they necessarily exclude or incorporate each other. This book establishes an enduring framework for structuring the broad themes defining the relations between philosophy and literature and organising the main topics in the field.

Key Features

•       Structured in five parts addressing philosophy as literature, philosophy of literature, philosophical aesthetics, literary criticism and theory, and main areas of work within philosophy and literature

•       An Introduction setting out the main concerns of the field through discussion of the major themes along with the individual topics

•       An Afterword looking at the interactions between philosophy and literature through itself enacting philosophical and literary writing while examining the question of how they can be brought together

The Palgrave Handbook of Philosophy and Literature is an essential resource for scholars, researchers and advanced students in philosophy of literature, philosophy as literature, literary theory, literature as philosophy, and the philosophical aesthetics of literature. It is an ideal volume for researchers, advanced students and scholars in philosophy, literary studies, philosophy and literature, cultural studies, classical studies and other related fields.  


Editors and Affiliations

  • Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Barry Stocker

  • Durham University, Durham, UK

    Michael Mack

About the editors

Barry Stocker is Assistant Professor of Philosophy in the Department of Humanities and Social Science, Istanbul Technical University, Turkey. He is the author of Derrida on Deconstruction (2006) and Kierkegaard on Politics (2014). He is the editor of Post-Analytic Tractatus (2004) and Derrida: Basic Writings (2007). He is the co-editor of Nietzsche as Political Philosopher (2014).

Michael Mack is Associate Professor (Reader) in the Department of English Studies, Durham University, UK. He is author of six single authored monographs, including Contaminations: Beyond Dialectics in Modern Literature, Science and Film (2016), How Literature Changes the Way We Think (2012), Spinoza and the Specters of Modernity (2010) and German Idealism and the Jew (2003).


Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: The Palgrave Handbook of Philosophy and Literature

  • Editors: Barry Stocker, Michael Mack

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-54794-1

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan London

  • eBook Packages: Religion and Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2018

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-137-54793-4Published: 14 January 2019

  • eBook ISBN: 978-1-137-54794-1Published: 31 December 2018

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XIII, 779

  • Number of Illustrations: 1 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: Aesthetics, Literature, general, History of Philosophy, Aesthetics, Literary Theory

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 299.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book USD 379.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access