Philosophy and the Idea of Communism: Alain Badiou in conversation with Peter Engelmann

Marc Notes: Translated from the German.; Includes bibliographical references.; In a well-known text called 'The Communist Hypothesis', first published in 2007, the renowned philosopher Alain Badiou breathed fresh life into the idea of communism as an intellectual representation that provides a critical perspective on existing politics and offers a systemic alternative to capitalism. Now, in the course of this wide-ranging conversation with Peter Engelmann, Alain Badiou explains why he continues to value the idea of communism against the background of current social crises and despite negative historical experiences. Review Quotes:"We here eavesdrop gratefully on an extraordinary, wide-ranging conversation between two men steeped in the European cultural and philosophical tradition - one a continuing believer in a communist ideal and the other a one-time prisoner of the Stasi." Colin Crouch, Vice-president for Social Sciences, British AcademyBiographical Note: Alain Badiou is a writer, philosopher and an Emeritus Professor at the Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris. Peter Engelmann is a German philosopher, editor and founder of the publishing house Passagen Verlag.

Contributor Bio:  Badiou, Alain Alain Badiou teaches at the Ecole Normale Superieure and at the College International de Philosophie in Paris, France. In addition to several novels, plays and political essays, he has published a number of major philosophical works.