Literary criticism in the 21st century : theory renaissance. Vincent B. Leitch.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 159-168) and index.

What I believe and why -- Antitheory -- The tasks of critical reading -- Theory today and tomorrow -- Theory crossroads -- French theory's second life -- Second lives of Jacque Derrida -- Postmodernism revisited -- Twenty-first-century theory favorites -- Theory futures.

"For more than a decade literary criticism has been thought to be in a post-theory age. Despite this, the work of thinkers such as Derrida, Deleuze and Foucault and new writers such as Agamben and Ranciere continue to be central to literary studies. Literary Criticism in the 21st Century explores the explosion of new theoretical approaches that has seen a renaissance in theory and its importance in the institutional settings of the humanities today.Literary Criticism in the 21st Century covers such issues as: The institutional history of theory in the academy; the case against theory, from the 1970s to today; critical reading, theory and the wider world; keystone works in contemporary theory; and new directions and theory's many futures." -- Publisher's description.