Two books on literary and cultural theories authored by faculty of the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras were launched on Monday.
The teachers are from the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences. The books, Ecocriticism: Big Ideas and Practical Strategies by Swarnalatha Rangarajan, and Post Modern Literatures by Avishek Parui, Assistant Professor, present an exhaustive overview of theories and theorists and introduce readers to the mechanics of reading literary and cultural texts.
Institute director Bhaskar Ramamurthi, who commended the faculty, said, “As an institution, our output is measured by publications and quality of publications.”
Ms. Swarnalatha said the book she had authored explored concepts such as ecofeminism and material ecocriticism. The book traced the evolution of the field through its various phases.
Post-modern readings had increasing significance in the virtual and real worlds of the day, explained Mr. Parui. Through a detailed study of selected texts, the book showcased the experience of reading post-modern literature, he said.