Introduction

This introduction presents a key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book presents the range of possibilities for teaching and learning made available by recent work in spatial literary studies, and serves as a sort of guide for exploring different ways of seeing space, place, and literature in the university classroom, in local communities, and elsewhere in the world. It addresses key concepts and issues raised in spatial literary studies that students will likely grapple with as they gain greater familiarity with the terminology, conceptual framework, and range of questions arising from the subject matter. The book also presents a number of critical domains, focusing on various genres and periods of literature while also investigating the degree to which spatial constructions help to shape the meanings of literary texts. It introduces new ways of seeing space and place in literary studies.