Introduction: The Hows and Whys of Marcel Bénabou’s Writing

With this special section on Marcel Bénabou, we wish to revive a practice from the early years of the journal’s existence, but which has been eclipsed by the deluge of theoretical considerations of the 1970s and ‘80s. It consists of introducing the work of a contemporary writer whom we think is worthy of our readers’ attention. Working on the present issue, a kind of formula has taken shape. It has only two rules: that the author work with the editor to constitute the dossier, and that he/she figure among the contributors. Two of Marcel Bénabou’s books have recently been published in English by the University of Nebraska Press: Why I Have Not Written Any of My Books (translated by David Kornacker, introduced by Warren Motte, 1996); and Jacob, Menahem, and Mimoun: A Family Epic (translated by Steven Rendall, introduced by Warren Motte, 1998). We hope that the present offering will whet the appetites of those not yet familiar with Bénabou’s work.