Center and periphery: Twenty-first-century literature, cinema, media from Spain

Edited by Amparo Alpañés, Washington & Jefferson College

Style, Meaning and Pedagogy

Rachid Acim, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco

'Style, Meaning and Pedagogy' can be useful to students and researchers of different backgrounds; it can assist them to deeply fathom literary and non-literary texts and scaffold their critical thinking when approaching human language like poems, headlines, blurbs or paintings. Admittedly, the print and visual texts chosen in the book were produced in the 14th, 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Whereas some of them are up-to-date and timely as they tap upon the emotions of the last pandemic (i.e., “And the People Stayed Home”), others: - Provide a profound view of peace and fellowship (i.e., “Abou Ben Adhem”); - Introduce a description of the system of etiquette followed in 1918 (i.e., “Manners”); - Unravel the dichotomy of face and beauty (i.e., “Memory”); - Examine the dialectical relationship between rhetoric and metaphors (i.e., “How Do I Love Thee?”); - Stress the power of art and pedagogy in the medieval age (i.e., “Laurentius de Voltolina’s Painting”); - Revisit dialogism and intertextuality in Afro-American Literature (i.e., “Dreams”); - Stimulate students’ critical reflections (i.e., “Poem in Your Pocket”); - Showcase the informative and persuasive dimension of media discourse (i.e., “The NYT”); - Bring to the fore reader-response theory and positive self-talk (i.e., “Thinking”). The book is a gem for students pursuing their English Studies in Higher Education. It is a rich resource for novice researchers and university professors teaching courses such as Literary Linguistics, Discourse Analysis, Literary Criticism, Poetry, Rhetoric, to mention but a handful. With an exhaustive list of readings and references, insightful methodology and signposts for critical reflections, 'Style, Meaning and Pedagogy' proffers you a chance to question the textual and semiotic selections people dwell on to produce their own texts. And with the short tasks and exercises at the end of each chapter, you will be able to savour and simultaneously retain much of the invaluable input prepared just for you.

Jesuits in Science Fiction: Reason and Revelation on Other Worlds

Edited by Richard Feist, Saint Paul University

From their founding in 1540 to this day, Jesuits have been controversial. Their centuries of missionary work have taken them to all corners of the world. They have been accused of killing Kings and Presidents and contributing to colonization and destruction of cultures—even participating in enslavement. But the Jesuits have also been seen as bringers of light and education. With their ferocity of purpose and intellectual rigor, the Jesuits’ impact on world history cannot be ignored. No surprise then, that Jesuits appear in literature, especially that literature of ideas, exploration, and social commentary, otherwise known as science fiction. This unique collection of essays explores how the Jesuit has long been part of science fiction’s history and how Jesuit ideas and characters are featured in some of science fiction’s greatest works. In this collection, we see Jesuits continue their missionary spirit as they take leave of the earth, moving their missionary labors literally towards the heavens. Reason and revelation are now indeed on other worlds. In this collection, we have explorations of philosophy, science, theology, and culture, all done in typical Jesuit fashion, always in various and foreign contexts. This collection is akin to others in its linking of religion and science fiction, but it is unique in its concentration on the Jesuits and science fiction. This collection will be of interest to scholars working and researching in the field of science fiction studies and would be suitable for courses on science fiction. But it will also be of interest and accessible to those of us who simply love science fiction for its power to explore other worlds and, in this case, to take some of the deepest human reflections, namely those on God, morals and culture, lift them up, and see what forms they may take on other worlds.

Poetic Inquiry Atlas Vol. 1: A Survey of Rigorous Poetics

Edited by Adam Vincent, Capilano University; The University of British Columbia, Canada

This edited volume illustrates various definitions and uses of poetry in research and scholarship, both across disciplines and across the world. The collection offers a worldview of the capacity of poetic inquiry to enhance research and scholarship by showcasing rigorous poetics (which [re]present epistemology and aesthetics as synergistic) in action. Each chapter is intended to highlight diverse perspectives and uses of poetic inquiry, thereby highlighting commonalities and differences in praxis, that include: - Critical discussion around poetry and its uses in each poet-scholar’s diverse practices (e.g., research, writing, personal development, healthcare, mental health, ecology and/or scholarship). - An example of poetry that showcases their approach(es) in action. - Insights into the crafting of their poetry (i.e., what choices were made? why were specific choices made?) - An exploration of how their poetic work links to the vast rhizomatic array of poetic inquiry. This volume is well-suited for new scholars, looking for ways to integrate poetry into their praxis, and experienced scholars who wish to further their understanding of the capaciousness of poetic inquiry as a valuable method, methodology, tool and/or approach. It also holds insights for those interested in the power of poetry as it relates to mental health, health care, ecology, teaching, qualitative research and identity work.

Blasco Ibáñez en Japón: 100 años de un viaje transoceánico y su relato (1923-1924)

David Taranco, University Doshisha, Kioto, Japan

En 1923, el escritor español Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, por entonces una de las principales figuras de la literatura mundial gracias el éxito de su novela 'Los cuatro jinetes del Apocalipsis', se embarcó en un crucero de lujo para circunnavegar el planeta. Fruto de dicha aventura es el fascinante relato de viajes 'La vuelta al mundo de un novelista', publicado en tres volúmenes entre 1924 y 1925. Dentro de dicho recuento, Japón ocupa un espacio preponderante, tanto en extensión como en implicación descriptiva y analítica por parte del autor. Un siglo después, este libro expone las claves del protagonismo de Japón en el relato de Blasco Ibáñez y ofrece una edición anotada de los capítulos que el escritor dedicó a su recorrido por tierras japonesas. El estudio previo del personaje y de la concepción del viaje, así como las glosas a pie de página de la edición anotada, permitirán al público lector comprender mejor el trasfondo de la travesía transoceánica, descifrar referencias culturales e históricas y disfrutar aún más la lectura del entretenido e instructivo cuaderno de bitácoras. Además, el personal investigador interesado en el desarrollo del hispanismo en Japón encontrará en este libro una visión novedosa del nacimiento y la evolución del estudio de la lengua y la literatura españolas y de las culturas hispánicas en el país del sol naciente y descubrirá la extraordinaria aportación de Blasco Ibáñez en este campo.