Product Description

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 ism's (among them postcolonialism, postmodernism, and New Historicism) are now known, once seemed so exciting, but it 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. With essays by nearly fifty prominent scholars. Theory's Empire questions the ideas, catchphrases, and excesses that have let Theory congeal into a predictable orthodoxy. More that 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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #634616 in Books
• Published on: 2005-05-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 736 pages

Review
"This is a splendid anthology that evaluates, puts into perspective and thoughtfully criticizes contemporary literary and cultural theory. A welcome alternative to dogmatic thought, this book is designed to generate a lively debate. A must for every serious student of literature and culture." -- Thomas Pavel, University of Chicago, author of The Spell of Language: Poststructuralism and Speculation "Patai and Corral's Theory's Empire represents the invigorating leading edge of a new diversity of thought in the academy, the vision of a healthy skeptical approach to what has become theoretical orthodoxy and dogmatism." -- Jon Erickson, Ohio State University, author of The Fate of the Object: From Modern Object to Postmodern Sign "If you never quite believed that thought is the same as action, that fact is irrelevant, that declaration amounts to proof, or that cultures rather than individuals compose works of art, you will discover in Theory's Empire why you are neither deluded nor delusional. Theories may help scholarship seem relevant, but they are no substitute for empirical evidence, logical argument, and plain old common sense." -- Mary Lefkowitz, Wellesley College, author of Not Out Of Africa: How Afrocentrism Became An Excuse To Teach Myth As History. "Superb introductions, guaranteed to stir every reader dejected by deconstruction." -- Library Journal " "Clearly, this is not your father's textbook; it's closer to The Norton Anthology of Screw-the Academy" -- Michael Potemra, National Review "A sign that things may be changing...its 47 contributors patiently dissect all aspects of theory. " -- James Seaton, Wall Street Journal " Theory's Empire is important because it shows that the opposition to theory is not just the preserve of intellectual lightweights." -- William Pannapacker, Chronicle of Higher Education "This is a valuable book for scholars and for those encountering literary theory for the first time... Recommended." -- Choice " Theory's Empire is a unique documentation of an intellectual deformation that still affects the way literature is studied." -- Brian Vickers, A 2005 Book of the Year, Times Literary Supplement "Patai and Corral waste no time and pull no punches." -- Michael Berube, Common Review " Theory's Empire offers a powerful retrospective on the rise of "Theory" in the American academy." -- Sara Castro-Klaren, Modern Language Notes

About the Author
Daphne Patai is professor of Brazilian literature and literary theory at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She is the author of a number of books on literature, utopian studies, and the culture wars, most recently Professing Feminism: Education and Indoctrination in Women's Studies, Revised Edition (with Noretta Koertge).Will H. Corral teaches Spanish American literature and culture at California State University, Sacramento. He is the author or editor of several books in Spanish, the most recent of which is El error del acierto (contra ciertos dogmas latinoamericanistas); he lives in Davis, California.