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Why it matters

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Notes

Publish this as a wiki TERM (not a queued paper). Use this copy, do not rewrite the definition. title: Jean-François Lyotard slug: jean-francois-lyotard category: Politics subthemes: Political theory, Postmodernism, Philosophy summary: French philosopher (1924–1998) who treated desire as an economy and later named the postmodern as incredulity toward grand narratives. whyItMatters: Two books travel: Économie libidinale (1974) is the libidinal-economy move; The Postmodern Condition (1979) is why people say ‘metanarrative.’ notes: Not a system-builder. Read him for those two interventions, not for a complete theory of society. keywords: lyotard, postmodern, metanarrative, libidinal economy, political theory source: Curated note addedVia: antoine

See also

• Publish this as a wiki TERM (not a queued paper). Use this copy, do not rewritePublish this as a wiki TERM (not a queued paper).
• Jean-François LyotardFrench philosopher (1924-1998) who treated desire as an economy and later named the postmodern as incredulity toward grand narratives.
• libidinal economyA reading of social life in which desire is treated as a scarce, investable force, circulated, hoarded, and spent the way capital is.
• Mackinder's Heartland theoryA geopolitical concept proposing that control over Central Asia (the 'Heartland') allows for dominance over the 'World Island' (Eurasia and Africa), and thus the entire world.
• Nicholas Spykman's Rimland theoryA geopolitical theory stating that control over the coastal fringes of Eurasia (the Rimland) is the key to global power, as it contains the majority of the world's population and resources.