Is Theory Good for the Jews? is the first attempt at exploring the cultural; intellectual; literary; and ideological roots of French engagement with the global and local upsurge of antisemitism in the 21st century. It is also the first attempt at analyzing the French responses to this new crisis.Chaouat endeavors to understand phenomena of repression; distortion; perversion; or outright denial; within the specific context of French intellectual and cultural history. By looking back to the 1960s and the emergence of a theoretical discourse on trauma; victims and suffering; the Holocaust and the Jews in literature; philosophy; and literary theory; he offer the first in-depth exploration of the cultural roots of French responses to the new antisemitism.Engaging with the work of major thinkers such as Maurice Blanchot; Jacques Derrida; and Jean-François Lyotard; Is Theory Good for the Jews? is an essential texts for scholars of contemporary French and contemporary Jewish Studies.
#836762 in Books 2014-10-14Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 .70 x 5.40 x 8.40l; .0 #File Name: 1771640790288 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Amazing !By Reading rabbitNothing like reading about a real historical expedition. Although the Franklin expedition ended tragically; it has not been forgotten. I loved the respect shown by the latest scientific crew; towards the three sailors who helped clear the causes of such tragedy. It proves once more that its not nature; but men itself who; in its ingenuity and wonder about technological advances; cause its own destruction.54 of 54 people found the following review helpful. Graphic and ChillingBy Rodney MeekWhile not perhaps a "must-have" for aficionados of the field of polar literature; this is nevertheless a very good book and is well suited as a sort of primer to those who have only a casual interest in the subject.The book provides a brief outline of disappearance the Franklin Expedition on its quest for the Northwest Passage in the early 1800s and the aftermath of the search conducted by various international parties; government and otherwise. It then relates the events of three research expeditions undertaken by the author; a forensic anthropologist who was interested in finding and reviewing various skeletal remains originally discovered decades after the loss of the Franklin party.Eventually; he concentrates his efforts on exhuming the frozen bodies of three crewmen who had died in the Franklin Expedition's first icebound season; before they had well and truly plunged irrevocably into tragedy. These men had been buried in well-prepared graves on a small island north of Canada's Hudson Bay. Even to this day; the bodies remain fantastically preserved; and the author was able to uncover intriguing evidence that suggests that the expedition did not succumb in a heroic struggle against the large and grand forces of nature; but rather fell to altogether more pedestrian and minute agents.The exhumation and autopsy processes are well described; and the theory that later develops is explained simply enough for the layman to follow.Perhaps the biggest strength of this book is the beautifully composed color photos that show the gravesites and the actual bodies. These pictures are truly stirring and invocative.The maps are also nicely done. However; the book would have benefited from a timeline and from an additional map showing the location of various Franklin party remains and artifacts. It sometimes becomes difficult to recall who was found where and when; since as it turns out; the expedition members covered a lot of ground and some of them split up. With that exception; though; this is an interesting book and a quick but thought-provoking read.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Great bookBy Michael BergerThis is a great book. History meets modern science. No one knew what ultimately happened to the Franklin expedition. What had contributed to their demise. But when crude graves were discovered; and it was learned that they were members of the Franklin expedition; modern science discovered some interesting facts. I won't say anything to spoil the book for anyone; But this was a great mix of the history of arctic exploration and using modern science to learn more about it. Most of the book is history related. Information about the search for the Northwest Passage and the Franklin expedition in particular. Then the more recent discovery of the graves and researchers discoveries from testing samples from the find. I highly recommend this book to any history or exploration fans.
