Theory of the Subject first published in France in 1982 is without doubt one of Alain
Badiou's most important works laying many of the foundations for his magnum opus Being and
Event. Here Badiou seeks to provide a theory of the subject for Marxism through a study of
Lacanian psychoanalysis offering a major contribution to Marxism as well as to the larger
debate regarding the relationship between psychoanalysis and philosophy. The book also provides
a history and theory of structuralism and poststructuralism a unique evaluation of the
achievements of French Maoism during the 1970s and the significance of the events of May 1968
and breathtaking analyses of art and literature. As a theoretical synthesis the book is
extraordinary in terms of its originality breadth and clarity. This is arguably Badiou's most
creative and passionate book encompassing the entire battlefield of contemporary theory
philosophy and psychoanalysis. Available for the first time in English and now in paperback
this is a must-read for anyone interested in this lively and highly original thinker.
