Theory's Empire: An Anthology of Dissent

About this book

Not too long ago literary theorists were writing about the death of the novel and the death of the author; today many are talking about the death of Theory. Theory as the many theoretical isms (among them postcolonialism postmodernism and New Historicism) are now known once seemed so exciting but has become ossified and insular. This iconoclastic collection is an excellent companion to current anthologies of literary theory which have embraced an uncritical stance toward Theory and its practitioners. Written by nearly fifty prominent scholars the essays in Theorys Empire question the ideas catchphrases and excesses that have let Theory congeal into a predictable orthodoxy. More than just a critique however this collection provides readers with effective tools to redeem the study of literature restore reason to our intellectual life and redefine the role and place of Theory in the academy.