In a clear and readable style, Living with Theory maps out contemporary theory, tracing its complex configurations, its political preoccupations, and its relations with literature. * Argues that the field of theory in late postmodern consumer society has become overburdened with new ideas, and that there is an essential need for guides and signposts in this complex field* Maps out contemporary theory, tracing its complex configurations, its political preoccupations, and its relations with literature* Explores the engagement of theory with such phenomena as globalization and postmodernism, multiculturalism and cultural wars, plus the rise of neoliberalism and the corporate university* Highlights the current reconfiguration of critical reading and its potential future