Embodied Differences (Hardcover)

Hardcover. This book analyzes the ways in which literary works and cultural discourses employ the construct of the Jews body in relation to the material world in order either to establish and reinforce, or to subvert and challenge, dominant cultural norms and stereotypes. It examines the use of physical characteristics, embodied practices, tacit knowledge and senses to define the body taxonomically as normative, different, abject or mimetically desired. Starting from the works of Gogol and Dostoevsky through to contemporary Russian-Jewish womens writing, broadening the scope to examining the role of objects, museum displays and the politics of heritage food, the book argues that materiality can embody fictional constructions that should be approached on a culture-specific basis. This book analyzes the ways in which literary works and cultural discourses employ the construct of the Jews body in relation to the material world, either to establish or to subvert dominant cultural norms and stereotypes. It argues that materiality also embodies fictional constructions that should be approached as a material-semiotic interface. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…