Examining an intramural conflict that erupted within the English Faculty at the University of Cambridge in the early 1980s, this book develops a theoretical analysis of disputes as they unfold within the academy. It shows how broad structural changes taking place within the English higher education system at the time reverberated through to local contexts, investigates the reception of theories originating in other countries and other disciplines upon English Studies in the United Kingdom, as well as demonstrating the significance of local institutional factors in structuring the form and content of the dispute. Capturing a key moment in the development of modern English Studies it reveals the social performance lying at the heart of public controversy and develops a new theory for analysing the workings and tribulations of intellectual life.