Tesis doctoral de Mercé Mur Effing
This doctoral dissertation called us self-help literature and the call of the east: the acculturation of eastern ideas and practices with special attention to the period from the 1980s onwards is a cultural study on the far eastern influence within a selected group of five self-help literature books. It is divided into three well-defined parts: part one is an introduction to the topic of self-help, from a cultural studies perspective: its definition, the sociological, psychological and economic reasons for its appearance, an attempt at a categorisation considering different strands of thought, as well as a historical overview of the basic changes in the ideals of success and happiness as expressed in american non-fiction self-help literature through time. The attempt at a categorisation is entirely mine and it is mainly based on a clear shift in goal orientation throughout time, which helps us to understand self-help literature as an evolving socio-cultural phenomenon. in part two, i offer a thorough cultural analysis of the growing far eastern influence in the united states of america, from a historical, social, psychological, philosophical and scientific perspective, since this information is essential in order to establish the historical, cultural and social contexts in which self-help literature (and the eastern influences within it) has developed. Without this work of prior contextualisation, it would have been extremely difficult to approach specific authors and their writings in an intelligible or transparent way. and finally, in part three, i deal with the analysis of the articulation of far eastern influence within some of the most well-known and widely read self-help books from the 1980s onward, in the light of their contributions to the achievement of happiness and inner peace. This leads to the conclusion that the cultures of personal transformation that have become such an intrinsic part of american culture, frequently adopt and adapt ideas and concepts from very different sources, especially far eastern, often to suit their own needs, giving them an idiosyncratic, american touch.
Datos académicos de la tesis doctoral «Us self-help literature and the call of the east: the acculturation of eastern ideas and practices with special attention to the period from the 1980s onwards«
- Título de la tesis: Us self-help literature and the call of the east: the acculturation of eastern ideas and practices with special attention to the period from the 1980s onwards
- Autor: Mercé Mur Effing
- Universidad: Autónoma de barcelona
- Fecha de lectura de la tesis: 13/05/2011
Dirección y tribunal
- Director de la tesis
- Sara Martin Alegre
- Tribunal
- Presidente del tribunal: Antonio Ballesteros gonzalez
- pedro Gallardo torrano (vocal)
- (vocal)
- (vocal)