Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Exorcising Power, John Jarzemsky

Theses and Dissertations

This paper theorizes that authors, in an act I have termed “literary exorcism,” project and expunge parts of their identities that are in conflict with the overriding political agenda of their texts, into the figure of the villain. Drawing upon theories of power put forth by Judith Butler, I argue that this sort of projection arises in reaction to dominant ideas and institutions, but that authors find ways to manipulate this process over time. By examining a broad cross-section of English-language literature over several centuries, this phenomenon and its evolution can be observed, as well as the means by which …

Taylor Studies, Teaches The History Of Civil Rights., Aldemaro Romero Jr.

Publications and Research

For many, the era of the Civil Rights Movement belongs to the past, a time vaguely associated with hippies and protesters. However, in the last few months, we have seen both new and old grievances surfacing, whether regarding immigrants, women, ethnic minorities, or members of the LGBTQ group.

As the Spanish philosopher and Harvard professor Jorge Santayana once said, “Those who ignore the past are doomed to repeat it.” Therefore, it’s important to look at past struggles and ask ourselves whether there’s anything we can learn from them.