Murray Krieger, along with others, started a post-war struggle against institutional resistance to theory and criticism that was intended to create a place in departments of literature for literary criticism that is well grounded in theory. Krieger thereby played a leading role in establishing literary criticism and theory as a legitimate discipline within literature programs. This collection comprises book manuscripts, articles, seminars, lectures, correspondence and other writings documenting his professional life. The bulk and strength of the collection consists of drafts of Krieger's numerous publications (particularly thirteen monographs), student papers written for Allen Tate, and his correspondence with noted scholars, ranging from New Critics such as John Crowe Ransom to a veritable "who's who" of literary theory and criticism during the latter half of the 20th century. Correspondents include authors such as Vance Bourjaily, playwrights such as Barry Stavis, and debates with James T. Farrell. In addition to his writings and literary correspondence, items such as audio recordings, administrative files, financial records, and other materials provide documentation of Krieger's professional and university-related activities, including his founding of the School of Criticism and Theory at the University of California, Irvine (1975) and of the UC Humanities Research Institute (1987), also based at UCI.