Since at least the early 1990s, critical theorists have referred to the death of Theory by which they mean French theory, by which they mean poststructuralism.

Those that try to criticize theory as "Theory" with a capital "t" create a strawman argument, in that poststructuralist philosophy has never been about creating the ultimate frame of reference, but wanted to open up philopsophy to other questions. It's the opponents of theory who end up trying to create a definitive platform from which to prosecute theory for foreclosing the Enlightenment project of modernity. Poststructuralism doesn't spell the death of philosophy or of Western civilization; rather, poststructuralism holds the door open to allow new questions to enter the unfinished project of modernity.