de Certeau, Michel (1925–1986)

Michel de Certeau was born in Chambéry in France in 1925 and lived until 1986. At university he studied classics and philosophy but later trained as, and [Page 426]became, a Jesuit priest. He continued his academic interests, mainly in theology, but after the political unrest of 1968, de Certeau shifted his interests more toward issues of society. De Certeau went on to teach at several universities, including Geneva and San Diego, and published on a wide variety of subjects, such as history, religion, philosophy, and psychoanalysis, but it is his work on everyday life that has been fundamental in establishing his academic legacy.

De Certeau suggests that individuals have little control over many aspects of their lives; however, everyday life is extremely complex and multifaceted and ...