Welburn Canon Controversies in Political Thought

Two Theories of Influence
1. Auflage 2020
ISBN: 978-3-030-41361-3
Verlag: Springer International Publishing
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: 1 - PDF Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 136 Seiten

Reihe: Psychology and Our Planet

This book explores the meaning of 'influence', which has played a central role in the formation of the canon, or tradition, of Western political thought. Via a critical overview of the relative fortunes of influence studies in the history of political thought, literary theory, and – at times – the history of art and poetry, it is possible to identify a dominant theory of the term. Nietzschean and ‘emanational’ in nature, thanks largely to the work of Harold Bloom, this particular theory views influence as mere power and represents a broadly accepted meaning in twentieth century thought. Canons or traditions of thought came to be institutions in themselves reflecting prevalent social and political inequalities. To be sure, a theory of influence as power came to be seen as complicit in arbitrary canon formation, across a range of disciplines. The book argues, ultimately, that a second theory of influence, imported from Mary Orr’s work on intertextuality, affords a rival perspective and amore positive, intergenerational meaning of influence. Orr’s ‘braided rope’ theory of influence allows for the development of a plurality of canons each capable of constructing new histories for a variety of epistemic communities. The existence of agonistic, rival canons presents pedagogical questions for all teachers of political theory, but one that can be potentially navigated by a new understanding of influence, in the Orrian tradition.

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

Welburn, Dominic

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Introduction.- 2. Visions of Influence and Originality.- 3. The Canon of Western Literature.- 4. Influence and Nietzsche.- 5. Influence in Twentieth Century Political Thought.- 6. The Reinvigoration of Influence Studies.- 7. Conclusion.

Über Autor(innen)

Dominic Welburn taught political theory for ten years at the universities of Hull, Leeds, York, Oxford Brookes, and Birmingham. He is now based at Bradford University, UK.