The Insistence of the letter

About this book

What kinds of literacy are appropriate for life and work in the late twentieth century? What historically is the relationship between curriculum and literacy, and how is it changing? These are some of the key issues tackled by The Insistence of the Letter. The essays in this book provide an innovative forum for discussion for what are often two quite distinct enterprises: literacy research and curriculum studies. They re-frame and redraw the traditional boundaries between these two disciplines, examining socio-cultural theories and classroom practices, in a diverse and lively debate. The arguments presented will lead to new perceptions of the role of literacy in education. The informing thesis is that language, 'Writing' and the symbolic order are crucial considerations for understanding curriculum and schooling. This is explored via readings of the modernist/postmodernist debate and specific studies in curriculum politics and history, rhetoric, language and literacy education, media studies and educational linguistics. This multi-voiced anthology brings together researchers from Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States in a common critical re-assessment of the curriculum/literacy nexus.