Anxiety in the literature of the 21st century
Anxiety
The concept of anxiety, introduced in the mid-19th century by Søren Kierkegaard and later adopted by modern existentialism, refers to a feeling that differs from fear, worry, or apprehension, i.e. feelings that always presuppose a specific reason. Anxiety does not refer to anything concrete, it is not dependent on the real danger. It is despair without an obvious reason, an emotional state of a person reflecting on their situation in the world. Understood in this way, anxiety is an ineradicable part of human existence. It is the result of a human condition based on the category of possibility. "In possibility, everything is possible" - explains the Danish philosopher - anxiety arises from this consciousness, it is "the reality of freedom, the possibility of freedom". So anxiety always refers to the future, and its source is that which has not yet passed.
As Heidegger, who based his analysis of Dasein on the concept of anxiety, confirms, anxiety is a feeling that accompanies the authentic existence of man, who is aware that he is a "being to death". Tracing the manifestation of anxiety in contemporary literature (and culture) of the 21st century becomes an urgent contemporary question given the dynamic socio-cultural changes.
We cordially invite you to submit contributions that take the literalization of the anxiety phenomenon as their theme by 30 June 2023.
