Michael Payne is John P. Corzer Professor of English at Bucknell University. He is editor of Blackwell's Dictionary of Cultural and Critical Theory (1996) and general editor of the Bucknell Lectures in Literary Theory, also published by Blackwell. His Reading French Feminism is forthcoming, as is his Renaissance Literature: An Anthology, in the Blackwell Anthologies series.

“The attention given to what I think is essential in my research-the semiotic and symbolic, rejection, negativity, practice, in particular their close connection with Husserl, Hagel, and Freud- is unique among works which have previously dealt with my books.” Julia Kristeva“For this reader’s money. Payne’s discussion is the best non-polemical introduction to Lacan he has come across.” Jesse W. Nash, History of European Ideas “I have never read a more lucid explanation of Derrida’s ideas.” James R. Bennett, Style “Reading Theory is an enormously study and, given its complexity, remarkably accessible.” John Schad, Review of English Studies

• Preface. Acknowledgements.Abbreviations.1. Barthes: From Work to Text.2. Foucault: Nietzsche, Genealogy, History.3. Althusser: Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses.4. Foucault: The Order of Things.5. Barthes: S/Z. .6. Althusser: Reading Capital.7. Signs, Images, and the Real: Barthes, Althusser, and Foucault on Photography and Painting.8. Deleuze: Philosophy, Psychoanalysis, Capitalism.Index.

Michael Payne is John P. Corzer Professor of English at Bucknell University. He is editor of Blackwell's Dictionary of Cultural and Critical Theory (1996) and general editor of the Bucknell Lectures in Literary Theory, also published by Blackwell. His Reading French Feminism is forthcoming, as is his Renaissance Literature: An Anthology, in the Blackwell Anthologies series.

“The attention given to what I think is essential in my research-the semiotic and symbolic, rejection, negativity, practice, in particular their close connection with Husserl, Hagel, and Freud- is unique among works which have previously dealt with my books.” Julia Kristeva“For this reader’s money. Payne’s discussion is the best non-polemical introduction to Lacan he has come across.” Jesse W. Nash, History of European Ideas “I have never read a more lucid explanation of Derrida’s ideas.” James R. Bennett, Style “Reading Theory is an enormously study and, given its complexity, remarkably accessible.” John Schad, Review of English Studies

• Preface. Acknowledgements.Abbreviations.1. Barthes: From Work to Text.2. Foucault: Nietzsche, Genealogy, History.3. Althusser: Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses.4. Foucault: The Order of Things.5. Barthes: S/Z. .6. Althusser: Reading Capital.7. Signs, Images, and the Real: Barthes, Althusser, and Foucault on Photography and Painting.8. Deleuze: Philosophy, Psychoanalysis, Capitalism.Index.