This volume marks the launch of "Revisionen", a projected series of some eight volumes on basic concepts of literary theory. The series aims to reflect on central concepts of literary studies which have become questionable or problematic in the coarse of debates and to open up new perspectives on them in order to make them available for research in a new manner. Such concepts include, for example, "meaning", "literature", "interpretation". The papers in the individual volumes are derived from specialist international conferences and present systematic and complete compendia of the different aspects of the various concepts. With its structured framework, detailed contextual introduction and index, each volume forms a problem-orientated handbook. The series takes an interdisciplinary approach, drawing not only on literary theory but also on art history, music, philosophy, linguistic and psychology.