Rebuilding Shattered Worlds
Creating Community by Voicing the Past
By A. Lynn Smith, Anna Eisenstein | Publisher: Nebraska
About the book
Rebuilding Shattered Worlds explores the ways a demolished neighborhood in Easton, Pennsylvania, still resonates in the imaginations of displaced residents. Drawing on six years of ethnographic research, the authors highlight the intersecting languages of blight, race, and place as elderly interlocutors attempt to make sense of the world they lost when urban renewal initiatives razed “Syrian Town”—a densely packed neighborhood of Lebanese American, Italian American, and African American residents.
This ethnography of remembering shows how former residents engage collective memory-making through their shared place, language, and class position within the larger cityscape. Demonstrating the creative power of linguistic resources, material traces, and absent spaces, Rebuilding Shattered Worlds brings together insights from linguistic anthropology and material studies, foregrounding the role language plays in signaling “pastness.”
Editions of Rebuilding Shattered Worlds
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780803290587
- iBook
- ISBN 9780803299436
- iBook
- ISBN 9780803299443
- iBook
- ISBN 9780803299450
Read an Excerpt
Rebuilding Shattered Worlds explores the ways a demolished neighborhood in Easton, Pennsylvania, still resonates in the imaginations of displaced residents. Drawing on six years of ethnographic research, the authors highlight the intersecting languages of blight, race, and place as elderly interlocutors attempt to make sense of the world they lost when urban renewal initiatives razed “Syrian Town”—a densely packed neighborhood of Lebanese American, Italian American, and African American residents.
This ethnography of remembering shows how former residents engage collective memory-making through their shared place, language, and class position within the larger cityscape. Demonstrating the creative power of linguistic resources, material traces, and absent spaces, Rebuilding Shattered Worlds brings together insights from linguistic anthropology and material studies, foregrounding the role language plays in signaling “pastness.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Rebuilding Shattered Worlds about?
Rebuilding Shattered Worlds explores the ways a demolished neighborhood in Easton, Pennsylvania, still resonates in the imaginations of displaced residents. Drawing on six years of ethnographic research, the authors highlight the intersecting languages of blight, race, and place as elderly interlocutors attempt to make sense of the world they lost when urban renewal initiatives razed “Syrian Town”—a densely packed neighborhood of Lebanese American, Italian American, and African American residents.
This ethnography of remembering shows how former residents engage collective memory-making through their shared place, language, and class position within the larger cityscape. Demonstrating the creative power of linguistic resources, material traces, and absent spaces, Rebuilding Shattered Worlds brings together insights from linguistic anthropology and material studies, foregrounding the role language plays in signaling “pastness.”
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Rebuilding Shattered Worlds?
Society and Social Sciences > Sociology and anthropology > Anthropology > Social and cultural anthropology
Where can I read a sample of Rebuilding Shattered Worlds?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780803290587
Is Rebuilding Shattered Worlds part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Anthropology of Contemporary North America
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Rebuilding Shattered Worlds?
A. Lynn Smith, Anna Eisenstein
Who is the Publisher of the book Rebuilding Shattered Worlds?
Nebraska
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Rebuilding Shattered Worlds is available as paperback(ISBN 9780803290587) and ibook(ISBN 9780803299436) and ibook(ISBN 9780803299443) and ibook(ISBN 9780803299450)
Where can I buy Rebuilding Shattered Worlds online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Rebuilding Shattered Worlds from below
Where can I buy Rebuilding Shattered Worlds?