Introduction. Rewriting the Soul: The Persistence of a Concept

The opening chapter argues that the now oft-neglected concept of the soul has remained relevant to considerations of literature, art, and politics. After a brief overview of its metaphysical and religious origins, the authors examine the evolving significance of the soul within an increasingly secular society, with particular emphasis on the gradual dissociation of the concept from established religion and metaphysics and its alignment with psychology. They go on to analyse the changing understanding of the meaning of the soul in the post-World War II postsecular context. They emphasize the far-reaching and enduring epistemological function of the concept and elaborate on how the chapters of the book investigate its reinterpretation across three domains: literature, art, and politics.