MSU鈥檚 Moser to sign new book on influential French philosopher
Contact: Karyn Brown
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜n MSU faculty member will hold a book signing this week for his new work that explores the bold and unique theories of French philosopher Michel Serres and his insights on evaluating major changes in the world today and effectively preparing for the future.
鈥淭he Encyclopedic Philosophy of Michel Serres: Writing the Modern World and Anticipating the Future鈥 (Anaphora Literary Press, 2016) is Keith Moser鈥檚 fifth book. The MSU associate professor of French in MSU鈥檚 Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures will sign books Friday [Sept. 30] from noon-2 p.m. during the inaugural symposium of MSU鈥檚 Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures. To be held at The Mill at MSU Conference Center on Russell Street, the symposium continues through Saturday [Oct. 1]. For more, see .
Moser鈥檚 monograph is the first comprehensive study of Serres, the interdisciplinary philosopher who suggested that engaging philosophical inquiry requires a broad foundation of knowledge, along with the ability to anticipate what will happen in the future based on present observations.
鈥淪pecifically, my book investigates how Serres鈥檚 encyclopedic vision of philosophy has made him uniquely suited to be one of the most important voices that the 20th century has bequeathed to the 21st,鈥 Moser said.
鈥淎t the dawning of a new millennium, Serres endeavors to comprehend the magnitude of [the] sweeping changes that make us a very different human animal in comparison to our not-so-distant ancestors.聽In this regard, he has positioned himself to be one of the most relevant philosophers of the future.鈥
Christopher Watkin of Monash University in Australia said in a review of Moser鈥檚 book that, 鈥淎n English-language monograph on Serres鈥檚 work is long overdue, and it is to be hoped that 鈥楾he Encyclopedic Philosophy of Michel Serres鈥 will fan the flames of interest in this thinker ripe for discovery and deployment across a broad set of contemporary fields and concerns.鈥
聽Moser hopes that many other professionals in various disciplines will begin to engage with Serres鈥檚 theories.
鈥淲riting this piece was rewarding because I recognized that my latest book is probably my best from an objective standpoint.聽I started with a clear vision of what I wanted to accomplish, and it truly worked out better than I could have ever imagined,鈥 Moser said.
Lynn Holt, interim department head for classical and modern languages and literatures, expressed pride in Moser鈥檚 newly completed work.
鈥淒r. Moser is already internationally known for his work on Nobel Prize winner J.M.G. Le Cl茅zio.聽In his latest book, Dr. Moser breaks new ground in establishing an organic and holistic eco-criticism, firmly establishing him as an expert on contemporary French thought.聽MSU is fortunate to have him in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures. CMLL is rapidly becoming known as a center of expertise in cutting-edge research into transnational language and culture,鈥 Holt said.
Moser鈥檚 latest book has been the No. 1 new release in two different academic categories on Amazon. Moser has written four other books along with many essays that have appeared in refereed periodicals including the French Review, French Cultural Studies, International Journal of Francophone Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment (Oxford UP), and Forum for Modern Language Studies (Oxford UP).
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