MSU’s Moser to sign new book on influential French philosopher

Keith Moser (Photo by Beth Wynn)

STARKVILLE, Miss.—An �̾��Ƶfaculty member will hold a book signing this week for his new work that explores the bold and unique theories of French philosopher Michel Serres and his insights on evaluating major changes in the world today and effectively preparing for the future.

“The Encyclopedic Philosophy of Michel Serres: Writing the Modern World and Anticipating the Future” (Anaphora Literary Press, 2016) is Keith Moser’s fifth book. The �̾��Ƶassociate professor of French in MSU’s Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures will sign books Friday [Sept. 30] from noon-2 p.m. during the inaugural symposium of MSU’s Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures. To be held at The Mill at �̾��ƵConference Center on Russell Street, the symposium continues through Saturday [Oct. 1]. For more, see .

Moser’s monograph is the first comprehensive study of Serres, the interdisciplinary philosopher who suggested that engaging philosophical inquiry requires a broad foundation of knowledge, along with the ability to anticipate what will happen in the future based on present observations.

“Specifically, my book investigates how Serres’s encyclopedic vision of philosophy has made him uniquely suited to be one of the most important voices that the 20th century has bequeathed to the 21st,” Moser said.

“At the dawning of a new millennium, Serres endeavors to comprehend the magnitude of [the] sweeping changes that make us a very different human animal in comparison to our not-so-distant ancestors. In this regard, he has positioned himself to be one of the most relevant philosophers of the future.”

Christopher Watkin of Monash University in Australia said in a review of Moser’s book that, “An English-language monograph on Serres’s work is long overdue, and it is to be hoped that ‘The Encyclopedic Philosophy of Michel Serres’ will fan the flames of interest in this thinker ripe for discovery and deployment across a broad set of contemporary fields and concerns.”

Moser hopes that many other professionals in various disciplines will begin to engage with Serres’s theories.

“Writing this piece was rewarding because I recognized that my latest book is probably my best from an objective standpoint. I started with a clear vision of what I wanted to accomplish, and it truly worked out better than I could have ever imagined,” Moser said.

Lynn Holt, interim department head for classical and modern languages and literatures, expressed pride in Moser’s newly completed work.

“Dr. Moser is already internationally known for his work on Nobel Prize winner J.M.G. Le Clézio. In his latest book, Dr. Moser breaks new ground in establishing an organic and holistic eco-criticism, firmly establishing him as an expert on contemporary French thought. �̾��Ƶis fortunate to have him in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures. CMLL is rapidly becoming known as a center of expertise in cutting-edge research into transnational language and culture,” Holt said.

Moser’s latest book has been the No. 1 new release in two different academic categories on Amazon. Moser has written four other books along with many essays that have appeared in refereed periodicals including the French Review, French Cultural Studies, International Journal of Francophone Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment (Oxford UP), and Forum for Modern Language Studies (Oxford UP).

The College of Arts and Sciences includes more than 5,000 students, 300 full-time faculty members, nine doctoral programs and 24 academic majors offered in 14 departments. It also is home to the most diverse units for research and scholarly activities, including natural and physical sciences, social and behavioral sciences, and the humanities.

Scholarly output in the humanities have helped place �̾��Ƶin the National Science Foundation’s top 50. The NSF also ranked �̾��Ƶamong the top 25 for research expenditures in the social sciences. For more on MSU’s College of Arts and Sciences, visit and the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures visit .

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