Books by Bronwen Martin

A reference to terms and models used in semiotics. Based on the theory evolved by the Paris School of Semiotics, it combines a wordbook with explanation of theory and practical illustrations. In the final section of the book there is a semiotic analysis of the fairy-tale, "Sleeping Beauty".

Provides information that a student needs when encountering semiotics for the first time or as a more advanced reader wishing to do in-depth semiotic readings. This book provides a brief historical overview of the field, an explanation of semiotic theory, key term definitions, outlines of the work of key thinkers, and key readings for students.

Since the Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to J. M. G. Le Clezio in 2008, there has been a wave of new interest in his A uvre. This book traces the evolution of the writer's postcolonial thought from his early works to his groundbreaking autobiographical novel Revolutions, arguably his most subversive text to date. The author shows how Le Clezio's critique of colonialism is rooted in an early denunciation of capitalism and philosophical dualism, and sheds new light on the crucial roles played by Jean-Paul Sartre, Aime Cesaire and Frantz Fanon in his development. The author's close reading of Revolutions reveals a complex system of interconnections between the colonial conflicts from the 1700s to the 1900s, with recurrent patterns of violence, cultural repression and racism. The issue of neocolonialism is addressed and the persistence of the colonial mindset in contemporary Europe and Westernized countries is shown to echo the findings of Paul Gilroy, Max Silverman and Etienne Balibar. The book concludes with an examination of the utopian elements underpinning Revolutions, establishing close affinities with the work of Edouard Glissant and developing the notion of permanent revolution. Themes explored include those of storytelling, cultural memory, cultural identity, language, intertextuality and interculturality.