Description
Delve into the intriguing world of mysteries and conspiracies with this groundbreaking book. Published by John Wiley & Sons in 2014, this brand new title explores the origins of the detective story and spy novel, two genres that emerged during a transformative time in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. As psychiatry introduced concepts of paranoia and sociology sought new methods for understanding societal dynamics, a fundamental question arose: Where does power truly reside? This thought-provoking book invites readers to examine conspiracies as a lens through which to view institutions of power and authority.
Within its 320 pages, the book provides an in-depth analysis of what conspiracy theories signify in contemporary society, from the shadows of secret organizations to the influence of elite groups like bankers and political leaders. The narrative uncovers how these elements intertwine with crime fiction and the nature of paranoia, challenging us to rethink the depth of social reality and its hidden truths. The clash between the overt and the covert—not just in fiction but in our everyday lives—invites readers to engage critically with the narratives that shape our understanding of governance, agency, and societal structure.
This essential read is perfect for anyone captivated by the mechanics of intrigue, the psychology of fear, or the history of storytelling surrounding conspiracies. With free shipping available, order now and prepare for an intellectual adventure that examines the mysteries lurking beneath the surface of society. Please note that delivery may take up to six weeks, and once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780745664057
Year: 2014
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons (UK)
Pages: 320
Description:
The detective story, focused on inquiries, and in its wake the spy
novel, built around conspiracies, developed as genres in the late
nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. During the same period,
psychiatry was inventing paranoia, sociology was devising new forms
of causality to explain the social lives of individuals and groups
and political science was shifting the problematics of paranoia
from the psychic to the social realm and seeking to explain
historical events in terms of conspiracy theories. In each
instance, social reality was cast into doubt. We owe the project of
organizing and unifying this reality for a particular population
and territory to the nation-state as it took shape at the end of
the nineteenth century.
Thus the figure of conspiracy became the focal point for suspicions
concerning the exercise of power. Where does power really lie, and
who actually holds it? The national authorities that are presumed
to be responsible for it, or other agencies acting in the shadows -
bankers, anarchists, secret societies, the ruling class? Questions
of this kind provided the scaffolding for political ontologies that
banked on a doubly distributed reality: an official but superficial
reality and its opposite, a deeper, hidden, threatening reality
that was unofficial but much more real. Crime fiction and spy
fiction, paranoia and sociology - more or less concomitant
inventions - had in common a new way of problematizing reality and
of working through the contradictions inherit in it.
The adventures of the conflict between these two realities -
superficial versus real - provide the framework for this hig
Within its 320 pages, the book provides an in-depth analysis of what conspiracy theories signify in contemporary society, from the shadows of secret organizations to the influence of elite groups like bankers and political leaders. The narrative uncovers how these elements intertwine with crime fiction and the nature of paranoia, challenging us to rethink the depth of social reality and its hidden truths. The clash between the overt and the covert—not just in fiction but in our everyday lives—invites readers to engage critically with the narratives that shape our understanding of governance, agency, and societal structure.
This essential read is perfect for anyone captivated by the mechanics of intrigue, the psychology of fear, or the history of storytelling surrounding conspiracies. With free shipping available, order now and prepare for an intellectual adventure that examines the mysteries lurking beneath the surface of society. Please note that delivery may take up to six weeks, and once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780745664057
Year: 2014
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons (UK)
Pages: 320
Description:
The detective story, focused on inquiries, and in its wake the spy
novel, built around conspiracies, developed as genres in the late
nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. During the same period,
psychiatry was inventing paranoia, sociology was devising new forms
of causality to explain the social lives of individuals and groups
and political science was shifting the problematics of paranoia
from the psychic to the social realm and seeking to explain
historical events in terms of conspiracy theories. In each
instance, social reality was cast into doubt. We owe the project of
organizing and unifying this reality for a particular population
and territory to the nation-state as it took shape at the end of
the nineteenth century.
Thus the figure of conspiracy became the focal point for suspicions
concerning the exercise of power. Where does power really lie, and
who actually holds it? The national authorities that are presumed
to be responsible for it, or other agencies acting in the shadows -
bankers, anarchists, secret societies, the ruling class? Questions
of this kind provided the scaffolding for political ontologies that
banked on a doubly distributed reality: an official but superficial
reality and its opposite, a deeper, hidden, threatening reality
that was unofficial but much more real. Crime fiction and spy
fiction, paranoia and sociology - more or less concomitant
inventions - had in common a new way of problematizing reality and
of working through the contradictions inherit in it.
The adventures of the conflict between these two realities -
superficial versus real - provide the framework for this hig