Speaker: Willie van Peer @Willie
Affiliation: Faculty of Languages and Literature at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich
Title: The Economics of Foregrounding
Abstract: Foregrounding is a key term in the empirical study of literature, yet its conceptualization, measurement, and boundaries remain debated. In this symposium series, we present fresh approaches and perspectives from esteemed scholars and emerging researchers, sparking new discussions. The present symposium explores the concept of foregrounding and its broader implications. Together, we’ll examine its societal vitality through economics, unravel its intricate theoretical dimensions, and connect it to the profound educational ideal of Mündigkeit. These three presentations promise to challenge, inspire, and deepen our understanding of this multifaceted phenomenon.
Mozart 12 Variations of "Ah, vous dirai-je, maman"
Long abstract
The theory of foregrounding has so far been framed in literary terms. While this view has been highly productive in psychological respects, it has also neglected societal aspects. The present paper explores one such aspect, i.e., the economical dimension of foregrounded culture.
Foregrounding as a cultural strategy demands a heavy investment of all partners involved: writers, readers, distributors, critics, etc. In economic terms, such heavy investment expects a kind of return. But what is the return of this investment? My proposal is that it is the vitality of a society. Without investment in cultural foregrounding, society grows stale.
Little research in this respect has – alas – been done. But even in purely economic terms, investment in culture has been shown to be lucrative: research in The Netherlands revealed that every penny invested in cultural affairs is won back economically. Thus, what cultures invest in processes of foregrounding is not money thrown away, but is economically profitable. Hence, economy and culture are not antagonistic, but work together to make societies both more profitable and at the same time vital.