Cinema, Theory, and Political Responsibility in Contemporary Culture

Hardback

Main Details

Title Cinema, Theory, and Political Responsibility in Contemporary Culture
Authors and Contributors      By (author) Patrick McGee
SeriesLiterature, Culture, Theory
Physical Properties
Format:Hardback
Pages:254
Dimensions(mm): Height 216,Width 140
Category/GenreFilm theory and criticism
Literary theory
ISBN/Barcode 9780521581301
ClassificationsDewey:791.4301
Audience
Professional & Vocational

Publishing Details

Publisher Cambridge University Press
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publication Date 14 August 1997
Publication Country United Kingdom

Description

This book explores the political significance of aesthetic analysis in the context of cultural studies. It applies the theories of Adorno, Derrida, and Lacan to film studies, and asks how political responsibility can be reconciled with the concept of the university as a democratic institution. Art and the university, Patrick McGee claims, share a common feature: they are commonly regarded as autonomous realms that resist the determination of economic and political interests, while still playing a crucial role in ethical and political discourse. Through detailed reference to Neil Jordan's film The Crying Game, McGee shows how film can be both a product and a critique of the culture industry. He goes on to analyse the function of the university in producing interpretations of such highly political art forms and in determining the limits of critical discussion. McGee links Adorno with Derrida to provide a new route through cultural studies and the claims of political criticism.

Reviews

"It should be added that whether in developing the shrewdly observed details of his close readings or in negotiating his rigorous theoretical discussions over a terrain well mined with jargon, McGee writes with exemplary clarity and personal engagement." MLN