Author Description

<p><i>Keywords to War</i>is a groundbreaking exploration of the way that everyday language use in the post-9/11 world has instilled a state of fear and war in our minds and our communities. For Mary Zournazi, words are cultural artefacts fundamental not only to our political and philosophical tradition, but also to our sense of meaningful connection to the world. She shows how key words such as freedom, justice, and trust have been misused, abused, and misappropriated for narrow political ends - draining them of meaning and seriously diminishing public life in the process.</p> <p>Zournazi's intent, however, is not simply to analyse language, but to revitalise it. By tracing the threads of historical meaning, and the competing values and ideas contained within words, she believes it is possible to replenish their deeper meaning, to restore the link between language and moral conscience, and to evoke a compassionate and hopeful alternative to the current political environment.</p> <p>Inspired by Raymond Williams' <i>Keywords</i>(1983), and Don Watson's <i>Death Sentence</i>(2003), <i>Keywords to War</i>is about the making and remaking of the world through language, and is itself a small step toward renewing that world and that language.</p>