Writing and the Moral Self

Originally published in 1991, this book analyses the relation between writing and ethics in a number of social contexts – in politics, as language discloses its connections to the institutions of totalitarianism and democracy; in the university, as contemporary scholarly ideals find an uncomfortably accurate representation in the stylistic forms of academic writing; in daily social practice, ranging from the status of truth in journalistic writing to the connection between pronouns and affirmative action; and finally in the ethical structure of language itself.

‘Berel Lang’s superb essays on the often tricky relationships between language and ethics demonstrate that matters of moral import – whether the ‘correctness’ of Black English or the linguistic dimensions of genocide – can be approached in a manner that is at once philosophically rigorous and enjoyable to read.’ Herbert S. Lindenberger, Stanford University‘Berel Lang is a thoughtful and though-provoking writer – civilized, lucid, and learned. Her writes about important subjects, and he stimulates one to pleased agreement and useful dissent.’ Irving Howe‘No one writes with more care and decency about language than Berel Lang. (The book) maintains a high level of discrimination throughout, whether Lang is writing about gender pronouns or the Nazi genocide. It is a civilized and civilizing book.’ Richard Ohmann, Wesleyan University

Berel Lang