Routledge Rewriting the Self: Histories from the Middle Ages to the Present

Product Description Rewriting the Self is an exploration of ideas of the self in the western cultural tradition from the Renaissance to the Present. The contributors analyse differing religious, philosophical, psychological, political, psychoanalytical and literary models of personal identity. They examine these models from a number of viewpoints, including the history of ideas, contemporary gender politics, and post-modernist literary theory.Rewriting the Self offers a challenge to the received version of the 'ascent of western man'. Lively and controversial, the book broaches big questions in an accessible way.Rewriting the Self arises from a seminar series held at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. The contributors include prominent academics from a range of disciplines. Review `..astonishing assembly of essays on ideas of the self,..' - The Guardian`The essays are of uneven quality, but the collection is full of provocative insights..' - Terry McCarthy'On the whole the editor has managed well to provide a healthy balance between 'overview' discussions and more specific analyses. The subject matter is uniformly interesting and contributors make a habit of raising stimulating isues.' - History Review From the Back Cover The fundamental issue of identity has been endlessly explored by philosophers, poets, priests, psychologists, and men and women generally. Whilst the question has stayed the same, the answers offered have changed over time. This book examines changing notions of selfhood from a historical perspective. The overarching perception of Rewriting the Self is that the received version of the 'ascent of Western man' needs to be rethought in the light of the critical cultural analyses of today. Rereadings are offered of classic texts like those of Descartes, but wider perspectives are also presented. These assess the discursive construction of the self in the light of political, technological and social changes.