Sartre on Subjectivity and Selfhood

​“A significant contribution to our understanding of Sartre’s philosophy of subjectivity and selfhood, one of the most hotly-contested and debated topics in recent years. Gusman’s work recognises and disentangles the complexity and subtlety of Sartre’s position as it develops through the major phases of his thought. His engagement with other critical viewpoints – from deconstruction to analytic philosophy – is bold and impressive; Simon Gusman is a young scholar who promises to go far.”
— Christina Howells, Emeritus Professor of French at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Wadham College, UK
“Ideas of subjectivity and selfhood were always central to Sartre’s philosophical project. Gusman provides a clear and detailed exposition of the development of these ideas across Sartre’s career and contrasts this development with the critical reception of Sartre’s work in anglophone and European philosophy.”— Jonathan Webber, Professor of Philosophy, Cardiff University, and President of the UK Sartre Society


This book examines the concepts of subjectivity and selfhood developed in the oeuvre of Jean-Paul Sartre. Although Sartre is a prominent philosopher, the reception of his work is shrouded in misguided ideas concerning his alleged subjectivism. This book accurately positions Sartre in debates concerning the two themes which form a guiding thread throughout his work and remain immensely relevant in the philosophical landscape of today. Gusman expertly tracks and uncovers the nuances of the evolving notions of subjectivity and selfhood, paying particular attention to his claim that the Self is a ‘thing among things’ and to his views on narrative identity.

Using as a framework the critical reception from thinkers in Sartre’s own tradition, the book also draws from the recent popularity of his thought in analytic philosophy of mind. Illuminating and impactful, this book provides an invaluable resource to scholars looking for a contemporary and up-to-date critical study of Sartre’s work.

Dr Simon Gusman is a Lecturer in Culture Studies and Philosophy at Radboud University, Nijmegen. His research interests are phenomenology, existentialism and popular culture. He is the co-author (along with Arjen Kleinherenbrink) of Avonturen bestaan niet (Adventures do not exist, 2018).