For centuries, the trickster has been used in various
narratives, including mythological, literary and cinematic, to
convey the idea of agency, rebellion and, often turbulent,
progress. In "The Trickster and the System: Identity and Agency in
Contemporary Society," " "Helena Bassil-Morozow shows how the
trickster can be seen as a metaphor to describe the
psycho-anthropological concept of change, an impulse that
challenges the existing order of things, a progressive force that
is a-structural and anti-structural in its nature. The book is
about being able to see things from an unusual, even odd,
perspective, which does not coincide with the homogenous normality
of the mass, or the social system, or a political ideology, or some
other kind of authority.
"
The Trickster and the System" offers an analytical paradigm
which can be used to examine relationships between tricksters and
systems, change and stability, in a wide range of social, political
and cultural contexts. It covers a range of systems, describes
different types of tricksters and discusses possible conflicts,
tensions and dialogues between the two opposing sides. One of the
central ideas of the book is that social systems use shame as a
tool to control and manage all kinds of tricksters individuality,
agency, creativity, spontaneity, innovation and initiative, to name
but a few. The author argues that any society that neglects its
tricksters (agents of change), ends up suffering from decay,
stagnation or even mass hysterical outbursts.
"
The Trickster and the System: Identity and Agency in
Contemporary Society "provides a fresh perspective on the trickster
figure in a variety of cultural contexts. It covers a range of
psychological, cultural, social and political phenomena, from
personal issues to the highest level of society s functioning:
self-esteem and shame, lifestyle and relationships, creativity and
self-expression, media, advertising, economy, political ideology
and, most importantly, human identity and authenticity. The book is
essential reading for scholars in the areas of psychoanalysis,
analytical psychology, myth, cultural and media studies, narrative
analysis, cultural anthropology, as well as anyone interested in
critical issues in contemporary culture.
Helena Bassil-Morozow is a cultural philosopher, film scholar
and academic writer whose many publications include "Tim Burton:
The Monster and the Crowd "(Routledge, 2010) and "The Trickster in
Contemporary Film "(Routledge, 2011). Helena is currently working
on another Routledge project, "Jungian Film Studies: the Essential
Guide "(co-authored with Luke Hockley). Her principal academic
affiliation is the University of Bedfordshire, Faculty of Creative
Arts, Technologies & Science. "
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