Critical Theory Since 1965

by Hazard Adams (Editor), Leroy Searle (Editor), Patricia Nassif Meerow

“An overwhelmingly rich display of critical theory.” –Rocky Mountain ReviewCritical Theory Since 1965 (originally published in 1986 and now in paperback) is a collection of theoretical writing by thirty-eight contemporary theorists and, as background, eighteen important intellectual precursors. It is by far the most complete representation of critical theory available, including phenomenologists, structuralists, deconstructionists, Marxists, feminists, reader-response critics, dissenters, and eccentrics, and supplying the background texts necessary of a working understanding of contemporary critical vocabulary and thought.The volume includes selections from Chomsky, Searle, Derrida, Foucault, Frye, Bloom, Kristeva, Fish, Baktin, Berlin, Lacan, Heidegger, Wittgenstein, Lukács, Lévi-Strauss, and Blanchot, among many others.

Genres: Philosophy, Theory, Nonfiction, Reference, Cultural Studies

901 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1986

Reviews

[Jesse Field]

This book covers 18 theorists, 1965-1986, with an appendix of 12 great theorists of past times. I first encountered the collection in my first-year seminar on literary and critical theory at the University of Texas, Austin, in 2003. This summer I thought just for personal edification, I might take the book up and write a little blurb on each of its entries:

Chomsky, Noam. Aspects of the Theory of Syntax. Cambridge: M.I.T. Press, 1965. In the first section of his book, Chomsky develops the idea of a “deep structure” within the mind that helps us generate language. Only this essentially rationalist approach, modeled with mathematics, can explain how we produce and understand infinitely many sentences, for empiricist approaches oversimplify the complex, active agency of the mind in acquiring language. Chomsky’s theory of language thus figures a debate between two theories of knowledge acquisition. I’ll need to think a lot more on where I should take this idea in my own writing about culture. (As usual, Adams and Searle's introductory material seems to reveal unclear understanding of their own material. See p. 37, for example -- How do they expect us to see the difficulty of explaining our grammar simply from the revelation that the mind my use a recursive function? But the John is eager to please/John is easy to please example is much more satisfactory in this respect.)

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have not read the whole thing, but a great primer for postmodern literary theory...

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read about half in Fosso's Lit Theory course. (Fall 2010) It was the primary textbook.

Derrida
Foucault
Lacan
Bloom
Saussure
Levi-Strauss
and more

[Celia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bogus.