17Theory on Theory

This chapter reviews work published in 2018 which involves consideration of the significance of critical and cultural theory in the present day as well as the diverse legacies of some of its key figures. Books discussed include the English translation of Alain Badiou’s seminar on Lacan, a new series examining the legacies of Lacan alongside those of Derrida, Foucault, and Said, and Thomas Docherty’s analyses of the University’s turn towards servicing the market and of the relation between literature and capital. The chapter demonstrates the ongoing vitality of theory today, as well as its capacity to examine and challenge the supposed obviousness of the assumptions that underpin the status quo.