Georges Bataille: Essential Writings

Michael Richardson is Lecturer in Sociology at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), London

• IntroductionPART ONE: COMING INTO BEING: THE CONTINUITY OF THE LIFE PROCESSBirth and the Incomprehensible Wonder of ExistenceMaterialitySexual Differentiation and OthernessLanguagePART TWO: SOCIAL LIFE AND THE ORGANISATION OF SOCIETYThe Nature of SocietySocial Bonding and CommunicationReligion and the SacredTaboo and TransgressionExpenditure and SacrificeExchange and the Commodification of the EconomyPART THREE: HUMAN BECOMINGWork and PlaySexual AttractionEroticism and the Urge towards DeathSickness and LaughterMastery and ServitudeMeditation and Inner ExperiencePART FOUR: SOVEREIGNTY AND THE IMPOSSIBLEWriting and ReadingLiterature and ArtConfrontations with the WorldKnowing and Un-KnowingSovereigntyDeathThe Impossible