...a další studie – Janoušek Pavel (2018)

The title of Pavel Janoušek’s book is somewhat misleading: it presents the work as a collection of individual studies while leaving aside the fact that its varied perspectives on literary and theatre studies, as well as on artistic creation itself and the forms of its reflection and presentation, are united by an effort to understand the “rules of the game.” The author follows on from his earlier publication Black Cat, or the Expert’s Subject in Thinking about Literature and Its Communication Strategies (Academia, 2012). Through partial analyses of specific topics, works and processes, he seeks to identify the fundamental trends, methodologies, mythologies, fashions and subjective motivations that have shaped and continue to shape the various forms of literary and literary-critical life. The common thread linking these investigations is Janoušek’s constant need to examine the apparent certainties that shape changing forms of contemporary thought. They are also brought together by a sceptical reflection on the field’s current movement towards one-off concepts. The author sees this as an approach that reflects existing methodological plurality and postmodern value relativism, but that often also creates space for empty gestures concealed behind an immediately attractive design.