Trauma has become a catchword of our time and a central category in contemporary theory and criticism. In this illuminating and accessible volume, Lucy Bond and Stef Craps:

• provide an account of the history of the concept of trauma from the late nineteenth century to the present day
• examine debates around the term in their historical and cultural contexts
• trace the origins and growth of literary trauma theory
• introduce the reader to key thinkers in the field
• explore important issues and tensions in the study of trauma as a cultural phenomenon
• outline and assess recent critiques and revisions of cultural trauma research

Trauma is an essential guide to a rich and vibrant area of literary and cultural inquiry.