ABSTRACT

Jean Baudrillard is one of the most controversial theorists of our time, famous for his claim that the Gulf War never happened and for his provocative writing on terrorism, specifically 9/11. This new and fully updated second edition includes:

  • an introduction to Baudrillard’s key works and theories such as simulation and hyperreality
  • coverage of Baudrillard’s later work on the question of postmodernism
  • a new chapter on Baudrillard and terrorism
  • engagement with architecture and urbanism through the Utopie group
  • a look at the most recent applications of Baudrillard’s ideas.

Richard J. Lane offers a comprehensive introduction to this complex and fascinating theorist, also examining the impact that Baudrillard has had on literary studies, media and cultural studies, sociology, philosophy and postmodernism.

chapter |6 pages

Why Baudrillard?

part |136 pages

Key Ideas

chapter 1|18 pages

Beginnings

French Thought in the 1960s

chapter 3|18 pages

Narratives of Primitivism

The ‘Last Real Book’

chapter 4|18 pages

Reworking Marxism

chapter 5|18 pages

Simulation and the Hyperreal

chapter 6|8 pages

Terrorism

From Hostages to 9/11

chapter 7|18 pages

America and Postmodernism

chapter 8|12 pages

Writing Strategies

Postmodern Performance

chapter |6 pages

After Baudrillard