Description
This text considers the full range of the political thought of the French philosopher Francois Lyotard and its broader implications for an understanding of the political. James Williams traces the development of Lyotards thought from his early Marxist essays on the Algerian struggle for independence to his break with the thought of Marx and Freud. This is compared with Lyotards later, highly influental writings on the politics of desire and his attempts to base a postmodern political discourse on the sublime. The book offers a systematic analysis of the political dimension of the work of one of the most controversial and influential philosophers of the 20th century. Review: James Williams has provided another fine contribution to the excellent Thinking the Political series. His acute analysis tracks the twists and turns of Lyotard's political ideas and the political implications of his philosophy, interrogating then with both elegance and rigour. -Diana Coole, Queen Mary and Westfield College James Williams does important and original work in helping us understand what determines the political for Lyotard. His evaluation is at once passionate, severe and provocative. -Thomas Keenan, Bard College Lyotard the Political is a brave book, written against the grain of scholarship that priviliges Lyotard's late work... [Williams] offers wise insights and judicious conclusions. -Todd Dufresne, Lakehead University
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