{"title":"Valentine Cunningham","description":"\u003cp\u003eValentine Cunningham’s work offers a rich exploration of literary theory and criticism, inviting readers to engage deeply with the texts that shape contemporary culture. His writing often reflects on the complexities of interpretation and the enduring power of literature within the broad sphere of \u003cem\u003eArts \u0026amp; Culture\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith a thoughtful and incisive style, Cunningham challenges readers to reconsider familiar ideas and to appreciate the nuances of reading after theory. His books are ideal for anyone interested in the intersection of literature, philosophy, and critical thought.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"reading-after-theory-by-valentine-cunningham-9780631221685","title":"Reading After Theory","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eValentine Cunningham's controversial manifesto asks what will and should happen to reading in the post-theory era. His account examines the spread of literary theory from the 1960s, when it was considered highly contentious, to the present time, when theoretical approaches are taken for granted across a range of disciplines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhilst acknowledging the necessity of theory for reading and recognising the good it has done, he strongly criticises it for encouraging bad reading and for diminishing the richness, scope, and human connection of texts. Cunningham argues that theory has made texts secondary to questions of ideology, oppressions, and resistance (important though they are) and proposes that what is needed in order to rescue literary studies is a return to close and \"tactful\" reading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHis manifesto insists on the primacy of texts over all theorising about them, and on the restoration of the human to literary studies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThroughout \u003cem\u003eReading After Theory\u003c\/em\u003e, Cunningham invites readers to reconsider the ways in which literary studies engage with texts, challenging the prevailing dominance of theoretical frameworks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47464181661932,"sku":"9780631221685","price":83.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780631221685-reading-after-theory.jpg?v=1775040217"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/valentine-cunningham.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}