After Poststructuralism: Reading, Stories and Theory

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Psychology Press, 2004 - Literary Criticism - 210 pages

In the last decades of the twentieth century, French poststructuralist 'theory' transformed the humanities; it also met with resistance and today we frequently hear that theory is 'dead'.
In this brilliantly argued volume, Colin Davis:
*reconsiders key arguments for and against theory, identifying significant misreadings
*reassesses the contribution of poststructuralist thought to the critical issues of knowledge, ethics, hope and identity
*sheds new light on the work of Jean-François Lyotard, Emmanuel Levinas, Louis Althusser and Julia Kristeva in a stunning series of readings
*offers a fresh perspective on recent debates around the death of theory.
In closing he argues that theory may change, but it will not go away. After poststructuralism, then, comes the afterlife of poststructuralism.
Wonderfully accessible, this is an account of the past and present fortunes of theory, suitable for anyone researching, teaching, or studying in the field. And yet it is much more than this. Colin Davis provides a way forward for the humanities - a way forward in which theory will play a crucial part.

 

Contents

Introduction
1
Impostures of French theory
9
Enlightenmentpoststructuralism
34
After knowledge Lyotatd and the postmodern condition
56
After ethics Levinas without stories
81
After hope Althusser on reading and selfreading
103
After identity Ktistevas life stories
129
Spectres of theory
152
Notes
179
Bibliography
197
Index
207
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About the author (2004)

Colin Davis is Professor of French Studies at the University of Warwick. His publications include Levinas: An Introduction (1996), Ethical Issues in Twentieth-Century French Fiction (2000) and French Fiction in the Mitterrand Years (with Elizabeth Fallaize, 2000).

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