Literary Studies and Human Flourishing

This collection of essays tackles the fundamental tension between literary studies and the science of human flourishing, examining why the discipline of literary criticism has proven to be one of the most resistant to the frameworks of positive psychology. The contributors delve into the complex relationship between deep engagement with literature and the measurable states of happiness, questioning what unique perspective scholars of texts bring to the empirical study of a life well-lived. The volume moves beyond simplistic claims about reading making people happy to explore the more challenging, and perhaps more valuable, contributions of critical theory and close reading.

The book's strength lies in its refusal to offer easy answers, instead presenting a rigorous intellectual debate about the value of negative capability, critical doubt, and complex emotional engagement found in great literature. It will resonate most with students and scholars in the humanities who are skeptical of purely quantitative approaches to well-being and are seeking a robust defense of their field's relevance. Ultimately, this is a vital intervention in the conversation about the purpose of the arts, arguing that the deepest forms of human flourishing may be found not in comfort, but in the difficult and transformative encounters that literature provides.