Henri Lefebvre

From Geography

Henri Lefebvre (1901-1991) was a French philosopher, sociologist and intellectual who was generally considered to be a neo-Marxist. Lefebvre studied philosophy at the University of Paris (Sorbonne) and graduated in 1920. In 1928 Lefebvre joined the French Communist Party (PCF). Between 1930 and 1940 he worked as a professor of philosophy, after which he joined the French Resistance in 1940. In 1947 Lefebvre published his work 'Critique of Everyday Life', which was one of the major inspirations for the founding of the COBRA movement.

Another important work of Henri Lefebvre, especially for the discipline of Human Geography, was his 'The Production of Space (1974)'. Lefebvre’s main argument in this book is that space is a complex social construction (or product) which influences spatial actions and perceptions. In that sense, Lefebvre introduced the concept of ‘social space’. According to Lefebvre, this social space is both physical as well as conceptual. Within this social space the cultural life of society takes place. It’s formed and produced by patterns of social interaction. But it’s also the other way around, i.e. the social space also produces and shapes these social patterns, it shapes society.

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