ANT-ology of Literature Cover Image

ANT-ologia literatury
ANT-ology of Literature

Author(s): Adam F. Kola
Subject(s): Cultural Essay, Political Essay, Societal Essay
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
Keywords: sociology of literature; cultural sociology of literature; ANT; Actor-Network Theory; Bruno Latour; ANT-ology of literature

Summary/Abstract: The main aim of the article is to propose a new version of sociology of literature under the name of A N T- o l o g y o f l i t e r a t u r e. In the fi rst part of the text I sketch a map of modern controversies on status and situation of literature and literary studies in contemporary world. I underline the fact that descriptions of this situation proposed by literary and academic establishment is always critical and that in fact this diagnosis are presented from conservative point of view. Afterward I discuss classical approaches of sociology of literature starting in 19th century till present-day and cultural sociology of literature connected with cultural turn in humanities and social sciences. However, I underline that all those approaches are anthropo- and textocentric. Hence, the crucial is the last part of the article. I argue on the necessity of application of Bruno Latour’s Actor-Network Theory into the literary studies and I describe possible advantages of ANT-ology of literature. If we take seriously into consideration the ideas of human and nonhuman actors, collective instead of society, abandon the “context”, focus on empiric and case studies, and if we will follow the actors, etc., presented version of literary studies will be entirely different – redefi ned and renewed.

  • Issue Year: 15/2013
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 35-47
  • Page Count: 13
  • Language: Polish