Alain Beaulieu
Biography
I am Emeritus professor in the department of philosophy (School of Arts) at Laurentian University (Canada). My areas of specialisation are contemporary continental philosophy, especially Deleuze, philosophy of cosmology, Foucault, and phenomenology. I was co-editor of Symposum (2002-2012), Foucault Studies (2007-2017)) as well as director of the International Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Human Sciences - ICIRHS (2009-2021). I received a SSHRC Insight grant (2018-2024) to lead a research on "Gilles Deleuze and Cosmology" in collaboration with Profs Janae Sholtz (Philosophy, Alvernia Uni.), Ubi Wichoski (Physics, Laurentian) and Gennady Chitov (Physics, Laurentian).
Education
- 2001 - Doctorat de 3e cycle, Université de Paris 8 (France) - Supervisor: Alain Badiou
- 1997 - D.É.A. Université de Strasbourg (France) - Supervisor: Jean-Luc Nancy
- 1996 - Gasthörer, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen (Germany) - Supervisor: Manfred Frank
- 1995 - Doctoral Research, Albert-Ludwig-Universität Freiburg (Germany)
- 1995 - M.A. Philosophie, Université de Montréal (Canada) - Supervisor: Jean Grondin
- 1993 - B.A./B.Sc. Philosophy/Mathematics, Université de Montréal (Canada)
Visiting professor
- 2015 - University of Warsaw (Poland)
Post-doctoral internships
- 2010 - Berkeley University, Bancroft Library – Foucault Archives (California, USA)
- 2004 - Institut für Sozialforschung (Frankfurt, Germany)
- 2003 - Archives Michel Foucault at IMEC (Paris, France)
- 2003-2005 - McGill University, Department of Philosophy (Montreal, Canada)
- 2001-2003 - Groupe de recherche sur les aspects sociaux de la santé et de la prévention (Université de Montréal, Canada)
Academic Appointments
- Assistant (2006), Associate (2011), Emeritus (2021) Professor, Department of Philosophy, Laurentian University
- Member of the School of Graduate Studies, Laurentian University (since 2006)
- Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of Sudbury (2005-2006)
- Part-time instructor, Department of Philosophy, McGill University (2004)
- Part-time instructor, Department of Philosophy, Université du Québec à Montréal (2002-2003)
On The Web
Academia: https://laurentian.academia.edu/AlainBeaulieu
Wordpress: https://alainbeaulieu1.wordpress.com/about/
Research
Areas of interest:
- Cosmology and Chaosmology
- Immanence
- Limit-experience
- Metaphysics
- Spinoza
- Nietzsche
- Deleuze
- Foucault
- Phenomenology
Conference presentations:
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2023 (Invitation) «Deleuze in French Canada», Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy (SPEP), Panel : «Deleuze in Canada», Toronto Metropolitain University, Ontario, 12-14 octobre.
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2023 «Cosmic Interferences in the work of Deleuze and Guattari» 15th annual Deleuze and Guattari Conference, Belgrade, Serbia, 10-12 juillet.
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2021 «The age of the cosmic in the artistic works of Kandinsky, Klee and Stockhausen», 13th annual Deleuze and Guattari Conference, Prag, Czech Republic (virtual conference), 5-7 juillet
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2021, «A few Notes on the Status of Modern Art in the Development of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari’s C(ha)osmological Thinking,», Groupe de discussion virtuelle en philosophie et cosmologie, Laurentienne, 31 mars.
- 2021, «Comprendre et expliquer», Symposium sur la recherche en sciences humaines, CIRISH, Laurentienne, 5 mars.
- 2020, “Chaosmos as Scientific and Cultural Creation for Deleuze and Guattari», 13th annual Deleuze and Guattari Conference, Prag, Czech Republic, June 29 juin – 1 July, 2020 (paper accepted, but conference postponed until 2021 due to coronavirus)
- 2019, «Exploring the Quantum Void and C(ha)osmic Fractals with Gilles Deleuze», Série de presentations publiques «Philosophie et cosmologie», Université Laurentienne, 20 novembre.
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2019, «Can the Deleuzo-Guattarian thought find be interesting to scientific cosmology?», 12th annual Deleuze and Guattari Conference, University of London, UK, 8-10 juillet.
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2018, «What science can and cannot say about exobiolife? A Deleuzo-Guattarian microrevolutionary answer», Inaugural Posthumanism Research Network workshop, Posthumanism Research Institute, Brock University, Canada, April 14-15.
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2017 «Gilles Deleuze and the Extraterrestrials», 10th international Deleuze Studies Conference, Toronto, Canada, 19-21 Juin.
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2016 «Deleuze and Guattari's Cosmological Thought: Philosophy, Science, Art», 9th international Deleuze Studies Conference, Roma, Italia, 11-13 Juillet.
- 2015, «Le géostatisme de Husserl et le géodynamisme de Deleuze/Guattari: deux perspectives cosmologiques», International Conference Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari. Refrain of Freedom. Panteion University and of the Institut Français de Grèce, Athens (Greece), April 24-26.
- 2015, «La philosophie de la cosmologie de Platon jusqu'à aujourd'hui», Société d'astronomie du planétarium de Montréal, Montréal, Canada, 27 février.
- 2015 «Back to Earth! A Comparative Study Between Husserl's and Deleuze' Cosmologies», Thinking Through Deleuze: Nomadic Subjects, Global Citizsnship and Posthumanism, Brock University, Canada, 6-8 février.
- 2014 "Deleuze in the Cosmological Tradition", 7th international Deleuze Studies Conference, Istanbul, Turkey, July 14-16.
- 2013 Round table on the publication of Michel Foucault's seminars Du gouvernement des vivants, with Michel Sennelart and Christian Nadeau, Société de philosophie du Québec, Acfas, Université Laval, Canada, May 6.
- 2013 "Foucault et l'éthique publique", Université Saint-Paul, Canada, April 19.
- 2013 "La 'grande santé' selon Deleuze et Focuault», Departement of Philosophy, Université de Sherbrooke, Canada, March 13.
- 2012 "Deleuze and Foucault as symptomatologists", International Conference "Between Deleuze and Foucault", Purdue University, USA, Nov. 30-Dec. 1.
- 2012 Book launch followed by a discussion on "Deleuze and Foucault" (with R. Fillion) organised by the Sudbury Philosophical Society, La Fromagerie, Sudbury, Nov. 21.
- 2012 "Foucault and Deleuze as 'Doctors of Civilization'," Deleuze-Foucault panel at the 5th international Deleuze Studies Conference, New Orleans, USA, June 25-27.
- 2012 "Bloch, Deleuze et l'utopie" (with Lucien Pelletier), Laurentian University, Canada, March 6.
- 2012 Round table "Imagine: Research Methods in the Humanities", Laurentian University, Canada, January 11.
- 2011 "Canguilhem and Foucault: the Foundation of a Radical Sociology of Health", The 10th Annual International Conference on Social Sciences, Honolulu, Hawaii, June 1-4.
- 2011 «La critique à partir de Kant et Foucault», Symposium La pensée critique : nature et développement dans le contexte de la formation universitaire et professionnelle, ACFAS-Sudbury, April 6.
- 2011 «Foucault: A radical follower of Canguilhem», 11th annual conference of the Foucault Circle, Banff Centre, Alberta, Canada, March 25-27.
- 2010 "The status of animality in Deleuze’s thought", Workshop Rethinking the NonHumn, Uni. of Alberta, Canada, Octobre 3.
- 2010 "Foucault and the Philosophy of Health", Department of Philosophy, Uni. of Alberta, Canada, Sept. 30.
- 2010 "Peter Eisenman and Gilles Deleuze on Space and Architecture", 3rd International Deleuze Studies Conference, Amsterdam, Netherlands, July 13.
- 2009 "Le champion du désespoir" (with B. Lafargue and N. Reeves), International event in arts and mental health organized by Folie/Culture, Ville de Québec, Canada, 2 octobre.
- 2009 "Le programme d’Histoire de la folie de Foucault fut un échec", Multidisciplinary event organized by Folie/Culture, Ville de Québec, Canada, 1st octobre.
- 2009 "De la révolution iranienne à l’éthique du souci de soi chez Foucault", Colloque de l’Acfas : "Éthique et subjectivité : Gouvernement de soi et des autres", University of Ottawa, Canada, May 12.
- 2009 «Les divers aspects de l’implication dans le milieu de la recherche universitaire», Research Week, Laurentian University, Canada, February 10.
- 2008 "Vérité et narration : le statut du dit dans l’expérience limite. Réflexions à partir de Paul Ricoeur, Primo Levi et Varlam Chalamov", Séminaire "Pensée & Culture", Laurentian University, Canada, Octobre 15.
- 2008 "Foucault et la spiritualité" (Guest lecturer), Université Laval, Canada, April 9.
- 2008 "Peter Eisenman and the Deleuzian Experience of Space", Symposium: Memory and the Environment, Laurentian University, Canada, March 28.
- 2008 "Les démêlés de Merleau-Ponty avec Freud: des pulsions à une psychanalyse de la Nature", 100 Years of Merleau-Ponty. A Centenary Conference, Sofia University, Bulgaria, March 14.
- 2007 "La réception de Histoire de la folie de Michel Foucault", Laurentian University, Oct. 12.
- 2007 "Jay Lampert's Deleuze and Guattari's Philosophy of History" (Guest panelist, book session), Canadian Society for Continental Philosophy, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada, Oct. 7.
- 2007 "La pratique deleuzienne de l’histoire", ACFAS, Journée d’étude: «Contr'hommage à Gilles Deleuze. Nouvelles lectures, nouvelles écritures», UQTR, Trois-Rivières, Canada, May 11.
- 2007 "Foucault : The Praxis of Liberalism", Ph.D. course "Foucault and Practice" (Seminar, Guest lecturer), Copenhagen Business School, Copenhagen, Denmark, March 16.
- 2006 "Deleuze et Badiou : retour sur la question de l’être", Canadian Society for Continental Philosophy, York University, Toronto, Canada, May 31.
- 2006 "Phenomenology and Existentialism", Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs (NY), USA, April 7.
- 2006 "Michel Foucault’s liberation project", Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs (NY), USA, April 6.
- 2006 "Michel Foucault et la tradition libérale", Université du Québec à Montréal, Quebec, Canada, March 29.
- 2006 "Husserl and Heidegger : the making and unmaking of a relationship", Laurentian University, Ontario, Canada, March 21.
- 2006 "À quoi sert la philosophie ?", University of Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, March 14.
- 2005 "Michel Foucault and Critical Theory", University of Sudbury (ON), Canada, July 25.
- 2005 "Michel Foucault et la désinstitutionnalisation", Department of Philosophy, Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada, May 19.
- 2005 "Speculations over Foucault's later 'Politico-poetics'", Fifth annual meeting of the Foucault Circle, Orlando (FL), USA, February 19.
- 2004 "Foucault, une pensée événement: les dernières publications" (with Y.C. Zarka, CNRS), Librairie Gallimard, Montreal, Canada, October 21.
- 2004 "Michel Foucault and Social Control", Institut für Sozialforschung, Frankfurt, Germany, June 7.
- 2004 "The Eclipse of the Difference between "Subjective Power" and "Capacity of Affectability" in Heidegger's Interpretation of Nietzsche's Concept of Power (Macht)", Konferenz der Martin-Heidegger-Forschungsgruppe, Meßkirch, Germany, May 26.
- 2004 "La micropolitique de Gilles Deleuze: par delà les sphères du public et du privé", International Conference Gilles Deleuze: Experimenting with Intensities. Science, Philosophy, Politics, Arts, Trent University (ON), Canada, May 14.
- 2004 "Des sociétés disciplinaires aux sociétés de contrôle", International Conference Michel Foucault and Social Control, Université de Montréal, May 8.
- 2004 "What does "Perhaps, one Day, this Century will be known as Deleuzean" (Foucault) mean?", University of Ottawa, January 13.
- 2003 Commentary of J. Wong's lecture, "Child Development as Historical Ontology: A Reply to Hacking", Ontario Philosophical Society, University of Ottawa, November 8.
- 2003 "Mondialisation et normalisation: une perspective foucaldienne sur les enjeux reliés à la désinstitutionnalisation des soins psychiatriques", Colloque FODAR - Perspectives philosophiques sur la mondialisation, Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada, October 10.
- 2003 "The Enchantment of the Body in Nietzsche and Husserl", World Institute of Phenomenology, Istanbul, Turkey, August 15.
- 2003 "La grammaire de la renaissance spinoziste: puissance, multitude et démocratie non-représentative", International Federation of Philosophical Societies, Istanbul, Turkey, August 13.
- 2003 "La redéfinition de l'homme par l'étude du corps vivant à partir de Nietzsche et Husserl", 9th International French-German Philosophy Colloquium, Evian/Lac Léman, France, July 17.
- 2003 "Gilles Deleuze’s Critique of Phenomenological Incarnation and the Body Without Organs", The British Society for Phenomenology, University of Greenwich, London, United Kingdom, July 13.
- 2003 Commentary of J. Brown's lecture, "Deleuze's Nietzschean Revaluation: the Image of Thought/Thought Without Image", Canadian Philosophical Association, Dalhousie University, Canada, June 2.
- 2003 "La critique de la dialectique: éléments d'une confrontation entre Adorno et Deleuze", Canadian Philosophical Association, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada, May 31.
- 2003 "L'art figural de Francis Bacon et Brian Ferneyhough", Canadian Society for Aesthetics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada, May 31.
- 2003 "Gilles Deleuze and Literature: Langage, Life and the Doctrine of Judgment", International Society of Phenomenology and Literature, Harvard University, Cambridge (MA), USA, May 15.
- 2003 "Les fondements de la renaissance spinoziste en philosophie politique contemporaine", Centre de recherche en éthique de l'Université de Montréal, Université de Montréal, Canada, April 26.
- 2002 "Deleuze's Vitalist Interpretation of Spinoza's Ethics", International Association for Politics and the Life Sciences, Montreal, Canada, August 14.
- 2002 "The Difference between Deleuzian Political Philosophy and Althusser’s Contingent Materialism in later Works", Canadian Sociology and Anthropology Association, University of Toronto, Canada, June 1.
- 2002 "Communities that foster Diverse Modes of Existence Vs. Societies based on Control. A Phenomenological Approach to improve the De-institutionalization Process", Canadian Association of Schools of Social Work, University of Toronto, Canada, May 28.
- 2002 "Accords et faux-raccords entre les conceptions du cinéma de Jean-Luc Godard et Gilles Deleuze", Canadian Society for Aesthetics, University of Toronto, Canada, May 27.
- 2002 "La philosophie des processus de Whitehead et les doctrines évolutionnistes", Canadian Society for the History and Philosophy of Science, University of Toronto, Canada, May 27.
- 2002 "Y a-t-il quelque chose à comprendre? Sur l'opposition entre la philosophie herméneutique et les philosophies de l'événement", Canadian Society for Hermeneutics and Postmodern Thought, University of Toronto, Canada, May 26.
- 2002 Commentary of F. Chalifour's lecture, "L'iconoclasme contemporain: la détection visuelle face à l'image technologique", Canadian Society for Aesthetics, University of Toronto, May 26.
- 2002 "La notion de vie chez Husserl et les doctrines évolutionnistes", Société de philosophie du Québec, Université Laval, Canada, May 16.
- 2002 "L'expérience existentielle de l'habiter", ACFAS-Association francophone pour le savoir, Université Laval, Canada, May 16.
- 2002 "Gilles Deleuze et le cinéma: de l’image-mouvement à l’image-temps", Centre canadien d’études allemandes et européennes, Canada, February 25.
- 2001 "Spatialité et existence", GRASP/Centre-FCAR, Université de Montréal, Canada, December 3.
- 2001 "L’existence sans institution", GRASP/Centre-FCAR, Université de Montréal, Canada, April 11.
- 2001 "Deleuze et la présence en peinture chez Bacon", Department of Philosophy, Université de Montréal, Canada, March 30.
- 2001 "La micropolitique de Gilles Deleuze", Société de philosophie du Québec, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada, February 23.
Awards
- Selection of awards:
- 2018-2024: SSHRC Insight Grant, "Gilles Deleuze and Cosmology," with collaborators Janae Sholtz, Ubi Wichoski, Gennady Chitov (70 800$)
- 2015: Agence universitaire de la francophonie (3000 €)
- 2011-2013: SSHRC Standard Research Grant, "L'expérience du corps chez Foucault: santé, sexualité, alimentation et animalité" (Co-investigator) (38 400$)
- 2010-2013: SSHRC Standard Research Grant, "Le tournant éthique chez Foucault et les usages de sa pensée" (Principal investigator) (48 000$)
- 2004-2006: SSHRC Postdoctoral fellowships (Department of Philosophy, McGill University)
Teaching
Université Laurentienne / Laurentian University (2006-2021):
HUMA 5236 - M.A. Seminar "Cosmology in Culture"
PHIL 4007 - Honours Seminar: "Modernity & Postmodernity"
PHIL 2476 - Existentialisme
PHIL 2436 - Philosophie de la santé
PHIL 2356 - Philosophie de la biologie
PHIL 2217 - Éthique de l'environnement
PHIL 1115 - Introduction to Philosophy
PHIL 1105 - Introduction à la philosophie
Université de Sudbury / University of Sudbury (2005-2006):
PHIL 4007 - Honours Seminars: "Deleuze & Guattari's What is Philosophy?"
PHIL 2525 - Problèmes éthiques contemporains
PHIL 2345 - La bioéthique et les nouveaux pouvoirs sur la vie
PHIL 1105 - Introduction à la philosophie
Université McGill / McGill University (2004):
PHI 474B - Phenomenology: The Husserl/Heidegger Debate
Université du Québec à Montréal (2001-2003):
PHI 6001 - Épistémologie des sciences humaines
PHI 4314 - Activités symboliques et représentation
PHI 403E - Séminaire d'auteurs: Michel Foucault
Publications
Selection of publications:
Books
- (Co-ed. with Edward Karazian and Julia Sushytska), Gilles Deleuze and Metaphysics, Lanham/Oxford, Lexington Books, 2014.
- (Co-ed. with M. Ferguson), Studies in Disability, Sudbury, Monographic Series in Human Studies, 2013.
- Cuerpo y acontecimiento. La estética de Gilles Deleuze, Buenos Aires, Letra Viva, 2012.
- Gilles Deleuze et ses contemporains, Paris, Harmattan, 2011.
- (Ed.), Abécédaire de Martin Heidegger, Paris/Mons, Vrin/Sils Maria, 2008.
- (Ed.), Gilles Deleuze y su herencia filosofica, Buenos Aires, Grupal Logistica Y Distribucion, 2007.
- ( Eds with D. Gabbard), Michel Foucault and Power Today. International Multidisciplinary Studies in the History of Our Present, Lanham/Oxford, Lexington Books, 2006.
- (Ed.) Michel Foucault et le contrôle social, Québec, Presses de l'Université Laval, 2005 (2nd edition: 2008).
- (Ed.) Gilles Deleuze. Héritage philosophique, Paris, PUF, Collection «Débats philosophiques», 2005.
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Gilles Deleuze et la phénoménologie, Paris/Mons, Vrin/Sils Maria, 2004 (2nd edition: 2006).
On-line Publications
- «Quatre Novembre. Retour sur la mort de Gilles Deleuze» (with Douglas Ord, unpublished)
- «Introduction to Gilles Deleuze's Cosmological Sensibility», Journal Philosophy and Cosmology, Vol. 16, 2016, p. 1-13.
- «Presentation» of «Considerations on Marxism, Phenomenology and Power», Interview with Michel Foucault (conducted by Colin Gordon and Paul Patton in April 1978), Foucault Studies, No. 14, Fall 2012, p. 98-114.
- Interview «Para Deleuze, el arte es un medio privilegiado deresistencia frente al presente», Revista de Cultura ñ, Argentine, 2012 (in Spanish)
- «The Status of Animality in Deleuze’s Thought», Journal for Critical Animal Studies, Vol. 9, No. 1/2, 2011, p. 69-88.
- «The Foucault Archives at Berkeley», Foucault Studies, No. 10, Nov. 2010, p. 144-154.
- «Les Archives Foucault à Berkeley», Portail Michel Foucault/Institut Mémoires de l'édition contemporaine (juillet 2010; weblink broken)
- «Qui est Alain Badiou?», Symposium, Vol. 12, No. 2 , 2008, p. 6-9.
- «Michel Foucault et les sciences sociales en Amérique», Monde commun, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2007, p. 130-149. (weblink broken)
- «L’incarnation phénoménologique à l’épreuve du "corps sans organes"», Laval théologique et philosophique, Vol. 60, No. 2, juin 2004, p. 301-316.
- «L'art figural de Francis Bacon et Brian Ferneyhough comme antidote aux pensées nihilistes», AE-Revue canadienne d'esthétique, Vol. 9, 2004.
- «Accords et faux-raccords entre les conceptions du cinéma de Jean-Luc Godard et Gilles Deleuze», Cinémas. Revue d'études cinématographiques, Vol. 13, No. 3, 2003, p. 173-190.
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«Les sources heideggeriennes de la notion d’existence chez le dernier Foucault», Revue philosophique de Louvain, 4, 2003, p. 640-657.
- «La politique de Gilles Deleuze et le matérialisme aléatoire du dernier Althusser», Actuel Marx, PUF, No. 34, 2003, p. 161-174.
- «L’expérience deleuzienne du corps», Revue internationale de philosophie, No. 222, fasc. 4, 2002, p. 511-522.
For the complete list of publications, see Academia webpage: