Abstract

Jean‐Francçois Lyotard was born in 1924. After teaching at the lycée Constantine in Algeria (1950–2), he returned to France and joined the group “Socialism or Barbarism” (Socialisme ou Barbarie), which had been founded in 1949 by LEFORT (see Article 44), CASTORIADIS (Article 45), and Trotskyist militants. He then lectured at the Sorbonne and at the University in Nanterre and was involved in setting up the group “Worker Power” (Pouvoir Ouvrier) when “Socialism or Barbarism” split in 1964. In Nanterre in 1968, he participated in the activities of the “Movement of 22 March” (Mouvement du 22 mars) which was the origin of the student revolt in May. From 1973, he was professor at the University Paris‐VIII as well as at different American universities. He succeeded Derrida as president of the International College of Philosophy (Collège International de Philosophie) (1984–6).