Literary Criticism in the 21st Century: Theory Renaissance by Vincent B. Leitch (review)

From his 1983 Deconstructive Criticism: An Advanced Introduction to his editorship of the invaluable Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism (to be released in a third edition in 2018), Vincent B. Leitch has reliably delivered the good news about literary theory. In the preface to this wide-ranging collection of essays and interviews, Leitch describes himself "as both an insider and a popularizer" (8), and as the subtitle Theory Renaissance indicates, Leitch is still optimistic about the future of theory.

This optimism will no doubt surprise many if not most readers. As Leitch points out, theory is no longer a "shocking and disruptive vanguard," and the "high energy excitement and energy revolving around theory" seems to have waned considerably in the twenty-first century with there being "very few jobs in the area" (vii). The Chronicle of Higher Education published an article in 2015 entitled "The New Modesty in Literary Criticism" describing a significant backlash against the Age of Theory, and we even hear anecdotal evidence that theories like deconstruction lead to increased levels of depression among scholars. It seems that we are either depressed about the decline of theory or depressed about its refusal to go away, but in either case, few seem to recognize that we are living in an era of a "theory renaissance."

For Leitch, our feelings about the decline—or persistence—of theory are in fact significant to our work in literary studies: he sees a vital space for scholars to discuss their emotions, what he terms "intimate critique." He explains that a certain point in his career, "My personal story felt more and more like an introduction to the politics and economics of the postwar era" (3). Leitch is emphatic that literary theory now means "cultural studies" (and has since the early 1990s), and in a sense, he sees all faculty members as embodying cultural critique in their own persons and histories. We might teach Jonathan Franzen's 2001 The Corrections as a critique of capitalism at the turn of the century; in the classroom, we might also draw on our own experiences to engage with Fran-zen's novel, and Leitch argues that we should not hesitate to do so. For Leitch, the personal is not only the political: the personal is now also, by necessity, a significant aspect of literary theory and pedagogy.

The selections in this collection range from a ringing statement of belief ("What I Believe and Why") to an analysis of "French Theory's Second Life" to the predictive "Theory Futures." While every selection offers something of interest, the standouts are the chapters on "Antitheory," "Postmodernism Revisited," and "Twenty-First-Century Theory Favorites." The first two demonstrate, once again, Leitch's skills at synthesis and critique, as he draws together the various strands of antitheory and postmodernism, respectively, powerfully clarifying both. The essay on postmodernism, in particular, should come to be required reading on the subject. Leitch argues against those who see postmodernism primarily as a style that came to an end in the 1990s, suggesting that we regard it instead as "an ongoing historical period characterized precisely by a panoply of styles, old, new, and mixed" (123). This chapter concludes with a compelling discussion and critique of the university in a postmodern era, an era characterized by "disorganization" (9). This term perfectly captures the nature of postmodernity, and functions for Leitch as a concept to help us engage in self-reflection and develop our own sense of "intimate critique."

A particularly interesting chapter focuses on Leitch's personal list of theory favorites since the millennium. At the top, he places Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri's 2000 Empire. Along with his discussion of why this work has held up so well, Leitch's criticisms are particularly interesting in light of our recent "Make America Great Again" presidential election, as Leitch notes that Hardt and Negri are wrong to see "present-day fundamentalisms...