State, Space, World: Selected Essays

by Henri Lefebvre, Gerald Moore (Translator), Stuart Elden (Editor)

Making the political aspect of Lefebvre's work available in English for the first time, this book contains essays on philosophy, political theory, state formation, spatial planning, and globalization, as well as provocative reflections on the possibilities and limits of grassroots democracy under advanced capitalism.

Genres: Philosophy, Academic, Research, Theory

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Henri Lefebvre was a French sociologist, Marxist intellectual, and philosopher, best known for pioneering the critique of everyday life, for introducing the concepts of the right to the city and the production of social space, and for his work on dialectics, alienation, and criticism of Stalinism, existentialism, and structuralism.

In his prolific career, Lefebvre wrote more than sixty books and three hundred articles. He founded or took part in the founding of several intellectual and academic journals such as Philosophies, La Revue Marxiste, Arguments, Socialisme et Barbarie, Espaces et Sociétés.

Lefebvre died in 1991. In his obituary, Radical Philosophy magazine honored his long and complex career and influence:
the most prolific of French Marxist intellectuals, died during the night of 28–29 June 1991, less than a fortnight after his ninetieth birthday. During his long career, his work has gone in and out of fashion several times, and has influenced the development not only of philosophy but also of sociology, geography, political science and literary criticism.

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

The editors have done a really amazing job with the selections, and they represent a very clear and accessible look at a very wide range of Lefebvre's thought...lot's of new stuff on the State of course, but very insightful on his ideas of space, globalisation/mondialisation, autogestion...and so much more.

[Jimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great peek into Lefebvre's view of the world, even though he tends to ramble at times, this book isn't too hard to read for even a beginner in the the subject. I would say it is a great starting point for someone interested specifically in how Lefebvre applies concepts of space and mondialization. This collection of essays ranges widely from subject to another, from sociology, philosophy, and theorization of the state, to development of spaces and the economy, with something of interest for everyone.

[Sherief · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lefebvre is the man, and the selections here show that in addition to being a critic, he was a fairly sophisticated strategist with resepect to cities, state power and space. Thought-provoking pieces outside of the usual norm of critique, as always, and achingly relevant still today.

[Sdv · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book on the state by one of the great writers on everyday life in the 20th C, in fact of the 21st as well. Lovely

[sdv duras · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good analyssis of what it is to live in the late 20th and early 21st century in mass-commodified society...

[Lululan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many useful ideas in his discussions on space and production.