Author: Marshall Brown

GOING AFTER THEORY MARSHALL BROWN   The only genuine critical theory is that of no-theory, the only applicable abstraction the rejection of abstraction. (McGilchrist 1982: 13-14) Theory’s day is dying; the hour is late; and the only thing left for a theorist to do is to say so. (“Consequences,” Fish 1990: 341) One does one’s work first and theorises about it afterwards. (Conrad 1924: vii)   To go after a thing is to follow it, to seek it out, or to hunt it down. Going after theory typically starts with going against theory, but never ends there. Ultimately going...