Forms, Events, Treaties.

The article focuses on Dougal McNeill's book, *Forms of Freedom: Marxist Essays in New Zealand and Australian Literature*, which addresses the need for a reconstitution of literary studies in response to contemporary capitalist crises, including issues of class, race, gender, sexuality, and climate change. McNeill critiques the dominant historicist and contextualist approaches in literary scholarship, advocating instead for a formalist reappraisal that emphasizes the collective experience of reading and the transformative potential of literature. His essays explore how literary form can illuminate social and political relations, while also engaging with a diverse range of writers from New Zealand and Australia. The article highlights both the strengths and limitations of McNeill's arguments, particularly regarding the inclusivity of his Marxist humanism and the broader implications of form in literary criticism. [Extracted from the article]