Examines and interrogates the concept of the 'uncanny', and the cultural contexts which allow such experiences of disorientation and alienation.This book includes translation of Ernst Jensch's seminal essay, On the Psychology of the Uncanny (1906) - first time this has been available in English. A timely collection - the term 'uncanny' has become confused in critical theory, and this book helps clarify what it means in contemporary culture. It has a broad appeal and illustrates the range and influence of the 'uncanny' in current research in the humanities and beyond (contributors work in a range of fields, from film studies, literary theory, to history and cultural studies).It includes well-known contributors such as Julian Wolfreys, David Punter and Roger Luckhurst.This book explores the sense in which the uncanny may be a distinctively modern experience, the way these unnerving feelings and unsettling encounters disturb the rational presumptions of the modern world view and the security of modern self-identity, just as the latter may themselves be implicated in the production of these experiences as uncanny.

This book explores the sense in which the uncanny may be a distinctively modern experience, the way these unnerving feelings and unsettling encounters disturb the rational presumptions of the modern world view and the security of modern self-identity, just as the latter may themselves be implicated in the production of these experiences as uncanny.

This book provides the first comprehensive account of the social and cultural aspects of modernity over the past two centuries. The author draws on and synthesizes recent research on the socio-cultural dimension of modernity and draws connections between disparate elements of cultural and social life in the modern era. The topics covered include the civilizing process, gender identity, sexuality, consumerism, city life, the role of popular culture and the media in structuring experience and aspirations, and the significance of 'modernism' in culture and the arts. "Exploring the Modern" is an invaluable guide to the roots of contemporary experience. It provides an essential context for evaluating current discussions of the late 20th century cultural crisis and debates over a possible shift into the 'postmodern'. The book is theoretically sophisticated yet written in a lively and accessible style making it an ideal text for students across the humanities and social sciences.