The contributions presented here discuss the possibilities and conditions of finding a consensus about the meaning of literature. First, the existing diversity of approaches to literary theory, methods and methodology are discussed. From very different perspectives the individual contributions review the canonic criteria - descriptiveness, form, insight, spirit, reflexivity, linguistic level, self-reference, mediality, accuracy, poeticity etc. - and develop from that suggestions for a sustainable determination of concepts. Thus the volume offers insight into the methodological bases and the scientific self-understanding of present-day German literary studies.