Poetics | history | Theory is a lecture series, a series of conferences and symposia, a series of seminars on contemporary work in poetics, a series of readings by poets who think about poetics, and a work in progress. This year (2021-2022), the series will include events by Terrance Hayes, Matt Sandler, Evie Shockley, Anthony Reed, Sonya Posmentier, Monica and Monica Youn.

Poetics | history | Theory began in the fall of 2012 and has included lectures by Charles Altieri, Ian Balfour, Max Cavitch, Joshua Clover, Radiclani Clytus, Peter Coviello, Jonathan Culler, Craig Dworkin, Timothy Hampton, Eleanor Johnson, Aaron Kunin, Meredith Martin, Aamir Mufti, Christopher Nealon, Andrew Parker, Marjorie Perloff, Nicholas Ridout, Margaret Ronda, Michael Warner, Ivy Wilson, and others. Terrance Hayes, Geoffrey O'Brien, Evie Shockley, and Kevin Young have given readings and conducted seminars. David Greenspan has performed "The Argument" (poetry made by Plato and the coherent rebuttal offered by Aristotle) and "Plays" (Gertrude Stein's witty and provocative lecture on theatre).  The series has also sponsored conferences on Archives and Histories of Genre.