Culture and Explosion now appearing in English for the very first time is the final book
written by the legendary semiotician Juri Lotman. Originally published in Russian in 1992 a
year before Lotman's death the volume puts forth a fundamental theory: the semiotics of
culture. Proceeding from a model of communication Lotman extends the work of the renowned
Tartu-Moscow school that he founded showing not only how culture can be observed and described
but also how it can be governed and guided. In fact as Lotman demonstrates with copious
examples the modelling system of culture has an immeasurably strong influence on the way that
humans experience reality. As usual Lotman's erudition is brought to bear on the theory of
culture and the book comprises a host of well-chosen illustrations from history literature
art and right across the humanities. The book is of interest to students and researchers in
semiotics cultural literary studies and Russian studies as well as anyone with an interest in
understanding contemporary intellectual life.
