Notes from the periphery

by Susan P. Castillo

Notes from the Periphery attempts to examine the dynamics of marginalization and define the factors that have caused certain texts to be labeled as marginal while others are considered central and thus crucial in maintaining and perpetuating mainstream cultural values. Within the Western European tradition, Aristotelian thought has played a crucial role in staking out the center (i.e., the locus of power and authority) for certain groups and relegating others to the periphery; and it is not without significance that today's neo-conservative thinkers have adopted Aristotelian tactics. Thus, Castillo outlines the basic tenets of Aristotelian thought and traces the continuing influence of Aristotelian attitudes in the canon debate. She then goes on to analyze writers or historical figures who were labeled as fanatics, diagnosed as mad or sexually depraved, or dismissed as quaint regional or ethnic curiosities.