Race, Nationalism and the State in British and American ModernismTwentieth-century authors were profoundly influenced by changes in the way nations and states governed their citizens. The development of state administrative technologies allowed Western states to identify, track and regulate their populations in unprecedented ways. Patricia E. Chu argues that innovations of form and style developed by Anglo-American modernist writers chart anxieties about personal freedom in the face of increasing governmental controls. Chu examines a diverse set of texts and films, including works by T. S. Eliot, Katherine Mansfield, Zora Neale Hurston and others, to explore how modernists perceived their work and their identities in relation to state power. Additionally, she sheds light on modernists' ideas about race, colonialism and the postcolonial, as race came increasingly to be seen as a political and governmental construct. This book offers a powerful critique of key themes for scholars of modernism, American literature and twentieth-century literature. |
Other editions - View all
Race, Nationalism and the State in British and American Modernism Patricia E. Chu No preview available - 2006 |
Race, Nationalism and the State in British and American Modernism Patricia E. Chu No preview available - 2009 |
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accounts of modernity aesthetic African American agency allows American modernism analysis argues artists attention authors avant-garde black Americans British change citizen claim colonial condition consistent contemporary context critical defined describe despite development different discourses discussed distinctions documented economies Eliot emerging emphasis Empire Epstein establish Europe examination example expatriate extravagances fact Faulkner fear focus focused form formal found foundations geopolitics give global modernization goal Haiti Harlem Helga idea include increased individual Innovative instance international internationalism intervention ironically Joyce know lack land Larsen later left link literature little magnitude maintain manifest manner material matter mean merely method methodological Michael modernism’s modernist geographies modernist production modernist studies modernist writers moments monsters movement Myths national modernism natural participants particular passport perspective politics politics of modernism popular culture postcolonial power race racial read recognized rise seems significance subject terms texts Trouillot turn twentieth century various wanted Western whiteness World World War writers