Posthuman Pathogenesis: Contagion in Literature, Arts, and Media

Posthuman Pathogenesis explores the companionship of posthumanities, environmental humanities, and medical humanities to understand how we deal with complex issues like communicable diseases in contemporary times. It examines imaginary and real contagions, such as Jeep and SHEVA, plague, HIV/AIDS, and COVID-19, and discusses the inextricable links between nature and culture, matter and meaning-making practices, and the human and the nonhuman. The authors aim to analyze how contagions trigger a drive to survival and chaotic, liberating, and captivating impulses and focus on the viral interpolations in socio-political and environmental systems as a meeting point of science, technology, and fiction.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 258 pages
Publication date: 29 January 2024
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This captivating collection of literary and cultural responses to contagions delves into the interconnected realms of posthumanities, environmental humanities, and medical humanities, shedding valuable light on our contemporary approaches to addressing complex challenges such as communicable diseases. By examining both fictional and real contagions, spanning from Jeep and SHEVA to plague, HIV/AIDS, and COVID-19, Posthuman Pathogenesis explores the intricate connections between nature, culture, matter, and meaning-making practices. Through a detailed examination of pathogenic nonhuman bodies in their interactions with humans and the environment, the authors of this volume raise their diverse voices with two primary objectives: to analyze how contagions evoke both survivalist and chaotic impulses, as well as liberating and captivating ones. Moreover, they focus on the viral interpolations in socio-political and environmental systems as a meeting point of science, technology, and fiction, blurring the boundaries between social reality and myth.

Drawing upon the principles of the post-qualitative turn, this 'rhizomatic compilation' presents a non-hierarchical array of essays, composed of a multiplicity of genders, geographies, and generations. By embracing a differentiated experience of contagion, this collection offers a rich tapestry of perspectives, fostering a deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of contagion and its impact on our world.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032264288