The Emerson Effect (Paperback, New)

This book presents a revisionist account of Ralph Waldo Emerson's influential thought on individualism, in particular his political psychology.
Christopher Newfield analyzes the interplay of liberal and authoritarian impulses in Emerson's work in various domains: domestic life, the changing New England economy, theories of poetic language, homoerotic friendship, and racial hierarchy. Focusing on neglected later writings, Newfield shows how Emerson explored the tensions between autonomy and community--and consistently resolved these tensions by "abandoning crucial elements of both" and redefining autonomy as a kind of liberating subjection. He argues that in Emersonian individualism, self-determination is accompanied by submission to authority, and examines the influence of this submissive individualism on the history of American liberalism. In a provocative reading of Emerson's early and neglected later works, Newfield analyzes Emerson's emphasis on collective, or "corporate," world-building, rather than private possession. Tracing the development of this corporate individualism, he illuminates contradictions in Emerson's political outlook, and the conjunctions of liberal and authoritarian ideology they produced.

General

Imprint:	University of Chicago Press
Country of origin:	United States
Release date:	1996
First published:	1996
Authors:	Christopher Newfield
Dimensions:	230 x 149 x 17mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback
Pages:	278
Edition:	New
ISBN-13:	978-0-226-57700-5
Categories:	Books > Social sciences > Politics & government > Political science & theory Books > Language & Literature > Literature: history & criticism > Literary studies > General Books > Humanities > Philosophy > Western philosophy > General Books > Social sciences > Politics & government > Political structure & processes > Democracy Books > Philosophy > Western philosophy > General
LSN:	0-226-57700-7
Barcode:	9780226577005

Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate? Let us know about it.

Does this product have an incorrect or missing image? Send us a new image.

Is this product missing categories? Add more categories.

Review This Product

No reviews yet - be the first to create one!