Cyborg Saints: Religion and Posthumanism in Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction (Children's Literature and Culture)

Saints are currently undergoing a resurrection in middle grade and young adult fiction, as recent prominent novels by Socorro Acioli, Julie Berry, Adam Gidwitz, Rachel Hartman, Merrie Haskell, Gene Luen Yang, and others demonstrate. __Cyborg Saints: Religion and Posthumanism in Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction__ makes the radical claim that these holy medieval figures are actually the new cyborgs in that they dethrone the autonomous subject of humanist modernity. While young people navigate political and personal forces, as well as technologies, that threaten to fragment and thingify them, saints show that agency is still possible outside of the humanist construct of subjectivity. The saints of these neomedievalist novels, through living a life vulnerable to the other, attain a distributed agency that accomplishes miracles through bodies and places and things (relics, icons, pilgrimage sites, and ultimately the hagiographic text and its reader) spread across time. __Cyborg Saints__ analyzes MG and YA fiction through the triple lens of posthumanism, neomedievalism, and postsecularism. __Cyborg Saints__ charts new ground in joining religion and posthumanism to represent the creativity and diversity of young people’s fiction. Saints Are Currently Undergoing A Resurrection In Middle Grade And Young Adult Fiction, As Recent Prominent Novels By Socorro Acioli, Julie Berry, Adam Gidwitz, Rachel Hartman, Merrie Haskell, Gene Luen Yang, And Others Demonstrate. Cyborg Saints: Religion And Posthumanism In Middle Grade And Young Adult Fictionmakes The Radical Claim That These Holy Medieval Figures Are Actually The New Cyborgs, In That They Dethrone The Autonomous Subject Of Humanist Modernity. While Young People Navigate Political And Personal Forces, As Well As Technologies, That Threaten To Fragment And Thingify Them, Saints Show That Agency Is Still Possible Outside Of The Humanist Construct Of Subjectivity. The Saints Of These Neomedievalist Novels, Through Living A Life Vulnerable To The Other, Attain A Distributed Agency That Accomplishes Miracles Through Bodies And Places And Things (relics, Icons, Pilgrimage Sites, And Ultimately The Hagiographic Text And Its Reader) Spread Across Time. Cyborg Saintsanalyzes Mg And Ya Fiction Through The Triple Lens Of Posthumanism, Neomedievalism, And Postsecularism. Cyborg Saintscharts New Ground In Joining Religion And Posthumanism To Represent The Creativity And Diversity Of Young People's Fiction. Rg Saintsanalyzes Mg And Ya Fiction Through The Triple Lens Of Posthumanism, Neomedievalism, And Postsecularism. Cyborg Saintscharts New Ground In Joining Religion And Posthumanism To Represent The Creativity And Diversity Of Young People's Fiction. "Saints are currently undergoing a resurrection in middle grade and young adult fiction, as recent prominent novels by Socorro Acioli, Julie Berry, Adam Gidwitz, Rachel Hartman, Merrie Haskell, Gene Luen Yang, and others demonstrate. Cyborg Saints: Religion and Posthumanism in Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction makes the radical claim that these holy medieval figures are actually the new cyborgs in that they dethrone the autonomous subject of humanist modernity. While young people navigate political and personal forces, as well as technologies, that threaten to fragment and thingify them, saints show that agency is still possible outside of the humanist construct of subjectivity. The saints of these neomedievalist novels, through living a life vulnerable to the other, attain a distributed agency that accomplishes miracles through bodies and places and things (relics, icons, pilgrimage sites, and ultimately the hagiographic text and its reader) spread across time. Cyborg Saints analyzes MG and YA fiction through the triple lens of posthumanism, neomedievalism, and postsecularism. Cyborg Saints charts new ground in joining religion and posthumanism to represent the creativity and diversity of young people's fiction." -- Publisher's description Cover Half Title Series Title Copyright Dedication Contents Acknowledgments Introduction 1 Neomedievalist Saints and the Embodiment of Hagiographic History 2 Cyborg Saints, Born and Made 3 “Are We Not All Things?”: Relics, Posthumanist Agency, and Intersubjectivity 4 The Virgin Martyr of Comics: Distributed Agency and Saintly Iconography 5 Posthumanist Pilgrimage: Trans-corporeal Journeys 6 “Holy Dog!”: Animal Studies, Tolerance Discourse, and Posthumanist Ethics Conclusion References Index