Trauma is one of the most vital emerging fields in contemporary literary studies. In this illuminating and accessible volume, Stef Craps: * gives a history of the concept of trauma and its uses in literary and cultural studies, from the late nineteenth century to the present day * examines the theoretical debates around the term in their historical and cultural contexts * introduces the reader to key thinkers in the field of trauma theory, including Janet, Freud, Adorno, Lacapra and Caruth * identifies and explains key issues and tensions in the study of trauma as a cultural phenomenon,...