This edition of Sturrock's work on structuralism includes an introduction from Jean-Michel Rabate, which makes some account of the book itself and then explores developments in the reception of structuralist theory in the past five to ten years.

Introduction 2003: Are you History? Jean-Michel Rabaté. Introduction to the second edition: John Sturrock. Language. Social Sciences. Semiotics. Literature. Post-Structuralism. Conclusion. Further Reading. Notes. Index.

John Sturrock’s classic explication of Structuralism represents the most succinct and balanced survey available of a major critical movement associated with the thought of such key figures as Lévi-Strauss, Foucault, Barthes, Lacan and Althusser. Originally celebrated for the way it negotiated a reasoned way between what were extremely impassioned factions of evangelists and their opponents, the book still offers the best and most readily accessible account of the subject. As critics now prove to be increasingly eager to reappraise Structuralism, this edition, with a new introduction by the leading contemporary French theorist, Jean-Michel Rabaté, could not be more timely or convenient for the student of critical or literary theory.