The Ethics of (In-)Attention in Contemporary Anglophone Narrative
Susana Onega editor Jean-Michel Ganteau editor
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd
Published:12th Sep '24
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

This volume argues that contemporary narratives evince a great deal of resilience by promoting an ecology of attention based on poetic options that develop an ethics of the particularist type. The contributors draw on critical and theoretical literature hailing from various fields: including psychology and sociology, but more prominently phenomenology, political philosophy, analytical philosophy (essentially Ordinary Language Philosophy), alongside the Ethics of Care and Vulnerability. This volume is designed as an innovative contribution to the nascent field of the study of attention in literary criticism, an area that is full of potential. Its scope is wide, as it embraces a great deal of the Anglophone world, with Britain, Ireland, the USA, but also Australia and even Malta. Its chapters focus on well-established authors, like Kazuo Ishiguro (whose work is revisited here in a completely new light) or more confidential ones like Melissa Harrison or Sarah Moss.
Chapter 2 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons [Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND)] 4.0 license.
By placing both attention and inattention at the centre of literary and ethical inquiry, The Ethics of (In-)Attention in Contemporary Anglophone Narrative makes a compelling contribution to contemporary literary studies. Through a diverse range of perspectives and case studies, this volume effectively demonstrates how fiction not only reflects but also actively shapes attentional and inattentional dynamics, encouraging readers to ponder their own perceptual habits and question their ethical responsibilities. The significance of the topic extends beyond literary studies, as it also carries profound philosophical, ethical, and socio-political implications. In an era defined by information overload, digital distractions, and systemic inequalities, the study of attention holds increasing significance. By exploring how literature directs our attention to certain lives, histories, and environments, Ganteau and Onega’s volume invites reflection on the ethical weight of our attentional choices not only in fiction but also in their reality.
---LOLA ARTACHO MARTÍN, Universidad de Málaga, Nexus 2025-01
ISBN: 9781032733128
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 453g
264 pages