Page 13 - Vinkler, Jonatan, Ana Beguš and Marcello Potocco. Eds. 2019. Ideology in the 20th Century: Studies of literary and social discourses and practices. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 13
Introduction: The Crossroads of Literature and Social Praxis 13
both of them create congruencies of origin and attempt to give meaning
to life and the novel. In order to give meaning to our lives from where we
actually are (always somewhere in-between), we need fictions about be-
ginnings and about endings, fictions that unite what we perceive as a be-
ginning and an ending, and give meaning to the intervals between them.
Kermode calls these fictions concord-fictions. Gvozden’s contribution
comparatively deals with the nature of the construction of such fictions
in The Sense of An Ending by Julian Burnes. Beside taking into account
the interpretation of both the plan of expression and the plan of content,
the aim of the paper is to point out the connection between the ways of
dealing with the idea of the ending in contemporary literature and in ris-
ing eschatological narratives, primarily those connected with the aware-
ness of the ending of utopia and with the pervasive politics of fear. Fi-
nally, his contribution also attempts to show, following the theme of the
book, that the problem of eschatology deeply connects contemporary lit-
erary and social practices.
Gvozden points to (ideological) universalities by starting from a spe-
cific case, while Špela Virant takes the opposite route in her essay. Her
starting point is the theories of radical constructivism, especially the
work of Heinz von Foerster and decolonial studies as introduced by Wal-
ter Mignolo and Santiago Castro—Gómez. She continues by discussing
selected excerpts from Native American literature and criticism, as they
deal explicitly with this topic. While Foerster assumed the free choice
of epistemology, decolonial studies discern that in certain historical cir-
cumstances this freedom is limited by ideologies. The conclusion drawn
from both theories is that the epistemology of the excluded observer ena-
bles and legitimises capitalism and colonialism, which, once established,
force this epistemology upon the exploited. The epistemology of the in-
cluded observer/producer, as it shows up in the selected literary texts, can
be read as a form of resistance against hegemonic epistemology.
Toporišič’s, Gvozden’s and Virant’s chapters already heavily draw on
specific literary cases, but all of them still integrate their selected cases in
the discussion of the general concerns of ideology and epistemology. All
of the other chapters in the book reject the focus on theoretical observa-
tion in favour of case studies. Marcello Potocco investigates two exam-
ples of literary relations between Canada and the United States of Amer-
ica. Proceeding from the historical overview of the Canadian geopolitical
situation and the situation in its publishing market in the 19th and 20th
centuries, Potocco defines the basis of the newly established national ide-
ology as shown in the poetry of the so-called Confederation poets. The
both of them create congruencies of origin and attempt to give meaning
to life and the novel. In order to give meaning to our lives from where we
actually are (always somewhere in-between), we need fictions about be-
ginnings and about endings, fictions that unite what we perceive as a be-
ginning and an ending, and give meaning to the intervals between them.
Kermode calls these fictions concord-fictions. Gvozden’s contribution
comparatively deals with the nature of the construction of such fictions
in The Sense of An Ending by Julian Burnes. Beside taking into account
the interpretation of both the plan of expression and the plan of content,
the aim of the paper is to point out the connection between the ways of
dealing with the idea of the ending in contemporary literature and in ris-
ing eschatological narratives, primarily those connected with the aware-
ness of the ending of utopia and with the pervasive politics of fear. Fi-
nally, his contribution also attempts to show, following the theme of the
book, that the problem of eschatology deeply connects contemporary lit-
erary and social practices.
Gvozden points to (ideological) universalities by starting from a spe-
cific case, while Špela Virant takes the opposite route in her essay. Her
starting point is the theories of radical constructivism, especially the
work of Heinz von Foerster and decolonial studies as introduced by Wal-
ter Mignolo and Santiago Castro—Gómez. She continues by discussing
selected excerpts from Native American literature and criticism, as they
deal explicitly with this topic. While Foerster assumed the free choice
of epistemology, decolonial studies discern that in certain historical cir-
cumstances this freedom is limited by ideologies. The conclusion drawn
from both theories is that the epistemology of the excluded observer ena-
bles and legitimises capitalism and colonialism, which, once established,
force this epistemology upon the exploited. The epistemology of the in-
cluded observer/producer, as it shows up in the selected literary texts, can
be read as a form of resistance against hegemonic epistemology.
Toporišič’s, Gvozden’s and Virant’s chapters already heavily draw on
specific literary cases, but all of them still integrate their selected cases in
the discussion of the general concerns of ideology and epistemology. All
of the other chapters in the book reject the focus on theoretical observa-
tion in favour of case studies. Marcello Potocco investigates two exam-
ples of literary relations between Canada and the United States of Amer-
ica. Proceeding from the historical overview of the Canadian geopolitical
situation and the situation in its publishing market in the 19th and 20th
centuries, Potocco defines the basis of the newly established national ide-
ology as shown in the poetry of the so-called Confederation poets. The
