Not since German Idealism at the dawn of the nineteenth century has a national culture been so closely associated with a historical period of intense philosophical innovation as twentieth-century France. French Philosophy Today introduces the dominant strands of contemporary French philosophy in the wake of post-structuralism. The book covers all the major thinkers, including Jean-Luc Nancy, Michel Henry, Jean-Luc Marion, Bernard Stiegler, Francois Laruelle, Alain Badiou, Etienne Balibar, Jacques Ranciere, and Quentin Meillassoux, and introduces their major contributions to the development of modern European thought in the context of three historical themes: - the impact and legacy of phenomenology in France - the 'exhaustion' of Marxism and philosophy's relationship with politics - the 'theory' boom of the late twentieth century Each of the major players in contemporary French thought had their philosophical projects shaped by these conditions.
This book provides students with a useful framework for further exploring the key themes and figures in French philosophy today with an eye for what is innovative about them and how they connect with longstanding French philosophical traditions.