Gilles Deleuze

From Geography

Gilles Deleuze was a French philosopher. He was born in 1925 and passed away in 1995.

Biography

In 1944, Deleuze started his study at the University of Sorbonne (Marks, 1998, p. 4). In 1957, this university offered him a post. He was a supporter of the students that demonstrated in 1969 at several European universities. Deleuze belonged to the Paris experimental school, together with Felix Guattari and Michel Foucault. Deleuze´s work is influenced by Kant, Duns Scotus, Spinoza, and Proust.

Concepts

• Identity and difference: In the traditionalist view, identity is something fixed and natural. A certain identity creates a difference. For example there is a dichotomy between men and women, this leads to difference. Deleuze rejected this view and claimed that difference and identity are socially constructed and relational. Someone´s identity is shaped by comparing with other groups or people. From this point of view, women are othered from men, therefore they have different identities. Deleuze also highlighted the role of language by constructing differences (Doel, 2000, p. 146).
• Transcendental empiricism: this means that our apprehension of space is not only shaped by our cognition, but also by our experiences.
• Assemblage

References

• Doel, M. (2000). Un-glunking geography: spatial science after Dr. Seuss and Gilles Deleuze. In: Crang, M. & Thrift, N. (eds.) Thinking space. Routledge, London, pp. 117-135.

• Marks, J. (1998). Gilles Deleuze: Vitalism and Multiplicity. Pluto Press, London.

Created by User:BoudewijnIdema, 24 September 2011, 20:40 (UTC)