Literary and Cultural Theory: Political Correctness: Mouth Wide Shut? (Hardcover)

The book addresses and interrogates discursive and cultural practices that are (or can be seen as) related to the well-established if elusive phenomenon known as Political Correctness or PC. The individual contributors look into PC-related cases within the humanities, literature, and the media. Accordingly, the publication is divided into three sections: Part I, «Revisiting the Issue: History, Theory, Language», examines PC in the contexts of three types of discourse: historical, theoretical and ideological, and linguistic. Part II, «Literary Case Studies», offers examinations of chosen literary works and authors. Part III, «The Media», looks at manifestations of PC-related issues in film and the popular magazine. Altogether the publication shows a variety of approaches to the PC phenomenon. The assumption of the editors is that while PC has indubitably penetrated contemporary culture, it continues to stir controversy. This scholarly debate is a response to what may be described as PC's universal reign.