The Real South

Southern Narrative in the Age of Cultural Reproduction

Fiction & Literature, Literary Theory & Criticism, American
Cover of the book The Real South by Scott Romine, LSU Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Scott Romine ISBN: 9780807148068
Publisher: LSU Press Publication: June 1, 2008
Imprint: LSU Press Language: English
Author: Scott Romine
ISBN: 9780807148068
Publisher: LSU Press
Publication: June 1, 2008
Imprint: LSU Press
Language: English

In this stimulating study, Scott Romine explores the impact of globalization on contemporary southern culture and the South's persistence in an age of media and what he terms "cultural reproduction." Rather than being compromised, Romine asserts, southern cultures are both complicated and reconfigured as they increasingly detach from tradition in its conventional sense. In considering Souths that might appear fake -- the Souths of the theme restaurant, commercial television, and popular regional magazines, for example -- Romine contends that authenticity and reality emerge as central concepts that allow groups and individuals to imagine and navigate social worlds.
Romine addresses a major critical problem -- "authenticity" -- in a fundamentally new manner. Less concerned with what actually constitutes an "authentic" or "real" South than in how these concepts are used today, The Real South explores a wide range of southern narratives that describe and travel through virtual, simulated, and commodified Souths. Where earlier critics have tended to assume a real or authentic South, Romine questions such assumptions and whether the "authentic South" ever truly existed.
From Gone with the Wind, Civil War reenactments, and a tennis community outside Atlanta called Tara, to the work of Josephine Humphreys, the travel narrative of V. S. Naipaul, and the historical fiction of Lewis Nordan, Romine examines how narratives (and spaces) are used to fashion social solidarity and cultural continuity in a time of fragmentation and change. Far from deteriorating or disappearing in a global economy, Romine shows, the South continues to be reproduced and used by diverse groups engaged in diverse cultural projects.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

In this stimulating study, Scott Romine explores the impact of globalization on contemporary southern culture and the South's persistence in an age of media and what he terms "cultural reproduction." Rather than being compromised, Romine asserts, southern cultures are both complicated and reconfigured as they increasingly detach from tradition in its conventional sense. In considering Souths that might appear fake -- the Souths of the theme restaurant, commercial television, and popular regional magazines, for example -- Romine contends that authenticity and reality emerge as central concepts that allow groups and individuals to imagine and navigate social worlds.
Romine addresses a major critical problem -- "authenticity" -- in a fundamentally new manner. Less concerned with what actually constitutes an "authentic" or "real" South than in how these concepts are used today, The Real South explores a wide range of southern narratives that describe and travel through virtual, simulated, and commodified Souths. Where earlier critics have tended to assume a real or authentic South, Romine questions such assumptions and whether the "authentic South" ever truly existed.
From Gone with the Wind, Civil War reenactments, and a tennis community outside Atlanta called Tara, to the work of Josephine Humphreys, the travel narrative of V. S. Naipaul, and the historical fiction of Lewis Nordan, Romine examines how narratives (and spaces) are used to fashion social solidarity and cultural continuity in a time of fragmentation and change. Far from deteriorating or disappearing in a global economy, Romine shows, the South continues to be reproduced and used by diverse groups engaged in diverse cultural projects.

More books from LSU Press

Cover of the book The Politics of Faith during the Civil War by Scott Romine
Cover of the book The South and the Politics of Slavery, 1828--1856 by Scott Romine
Cover of the book Gendered Politics in the Modern South by Scott Romine
Cover of the book Senator James Eastland by Scott Romine
Cover of the book Vulgar Remedies by Scott Romine
Cover of the book The Resistance, 1940 by Scott Romine
Cover of the book Hearts of Darkness by Scott Romine
Cover of the book Promise by Scott Romine
Cover of the book Views from the Dark Side of American History by Scott Romine
Cover of the book The Liberty Party, 1840-1848 by Scott Romine
Cover of the book Ellet's Brigade by Scott Romine
Cover of the book Revenge of the Teacher's Pet by Scott Romine
Cover of the book Ghost Dance by Scott Romine
Cover of the book Interpreting Social Violence in French Culture by Scott Romine
Cover of the book Politics and Power in a Slave Society by Scott Romine
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy