War, Peace and the Literary Imagination
Ruthann K. Johansen
Tuesdays, May 10 & 17
Particularly pertinent because of the U.S. war in Iraq and a wider war on terror, this seminar will investigate the nature of war and peace through classic and contemporary literature. Our texts will be drawn from various regions of the world. In a 1937 essay on Homer’s epic poem, The Iliad, French philosopher Simone Weil warned about the dangers of force both for those who wield it and those who are victims of it. Nearly seventy years later, journalist Chris Hedges described the addictive attractions of war in his popular book War Is A Force That Gives Us Meaning.
We will examine the metaphors and themes that unmask the realities of
war and present struggles for peace. In addition, the seminar will explore
the ways the literary works themselves–through language, rhythms,
and images–become battlegrounds, as it were, on which the human
imagination creates individual identities while linking individuals to
communities and cultural ideologies. We will consider the consequences
of force on the human psyche and on civilization, along with the role
human imagination may play in moral and civic life.
“My expectations were far surpassed. The reading selections were engaging; the discussions were insightful. The time too short!”
“The professor asked so many thought provoking questions that made wonderful in-depth exploration. I have a lot to think about, consider and reflect upon — and act upon.”
“I liked the comfort with which Dr. Johansen allowed the group to discuss topic freely By advancing my knowledge of war and peace, I will be able to provide more insight into my own teaching.”
| Ruthann K. Johansen is a writer, visiting associate professor in the Program of Liberal Studies, and a Fellow of the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame. As a specialist in mid-19th to mid-20th century American prose literature, her literary scholarship examines the intersection of religion, myth, and literature. Her book The Narrative Secret of Flannery O’Connor: The Trickster As Interpreter explores the interface of O’Connor’s artistic intentions and her religious preoccupations through her narrative structures and techniques. Professor Johansen’s knowledge of narrative forms, fascination with the ubiquitous human need for stories, and interest in the human brain led to her book Listening in the Silence, Seeing in the Dark: Reconstructing Life After Brain Injury. This work, which investigates the narrative qualities of the human brain and the therapeutic potential of narratives for bridging radical discontinuities not only in the lives of brain-injured individuals but also for restoring identities and communities shattered by the traumas of war. Professor Johansen is a recipient of the Kaneb Excellence in Teaching Award. |
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