Michel de Certeau: Cultural Theorist / Edition 1

by Ian Buchanan

Overview

de Certeau is often considered to be the theorist of everyday life par excellence. This book provides an unrivalled critical introduction to de Certeau's work and influence and looks at his key ideas and asks how should we try to understand him in relation to theories of modern culture and society.

Ian Buchanan demonstrates how de Certeau was influenced by Lacan, Merleau-Ponty and Greimas and the meaning of de Certeau's notions of ‘strategy', ‘tactics', ‘place' and ‘space' are clearly described. The book argues that de Certeau died before developing the full import of his work for the study of culture and convincingly, it tries to complete or imagine the directions that de Certeau's work would have taken, had he lived.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761958987
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	03/08/2001
Series:	Published in association with Theory, Culture & Society
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.33(d)

Table of Contents

The Plane of Immanence
'Blasting Free', or, the Stylistic Inflection
Meta-Historiography
Heterology, or the Book We'll Never Read
Strategy and Tactics
Unknotting Place and Space

Editorial Reviews

‘Ian Buchanan has written the first sustained analysis and interpretation of the works of Michel de Certeau. Buchanan is convincing, comprehensive and fair. He tackles the question of de Certeau's religious commitments as well as his equally tough theoretical issues. Buchanan is well versed in the relevant literature. He has done well by de Certeau, a person of great theoretical importance and great personal integrity' - Mark Poster

‘This is a remarkable analysis and explication of the work of Michel de Certeau. It will be indispensable both to those who are already familiar with a portion of Certeau's writing, and to those who sense Certeau's importance but have not yet entered the world of his work. Buchanen's insights are powerful and thoughtful and his writing is clear and accessible. A fine critical book on a remarkable figure in cultural theory, psychoanalysis, and history' - Ricard Terdiman

From the Publisher