Lauren Berlant is the George M. Pullman Distinguished Service Professor of English at the University of Chicago. She is a coeditor Critical Inquiry; she and I both began work at the journal in 1987. I edited her special issues for CI–“Intimacy” and “Comedy: An Issue,” coedited with Sianne Ngai–as well as her numerous essays for CI. Her books include The Anatomy of National Fantasy, The Female Complaint, The Queen of America Goes to Washington City, and Cruel Optimism. Lauren is quite simply a remarkable person. She always brought me honey.
Theory Driven 