American Studies as Italian Theory

The article presents Italian philosopher Roberto Esposito's critique of the US-based account of "Theory" as the assimilation of national critical traditions. It goes on to argue for the potential of the recent phenomenon of Italian Theory to question the boundaries of American Studies and for its influence on the reconfiguration of the field. Discussion highlights the element of conflict in the shaping of American Studies as a field with a unified intellectual order and its relentless forward movement outside its constituted limits.