Bence, Gyorgy

Philosopher

Having graduated from Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in 1966, he became research fellow of the Philosophy Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA). However, he lost his job for political reasons in 1968. He was a postgraduate student of György Lukács and György Márkus. In 1972 he was unable to gain employment, his writings were not published and he was prevented from defending his thesis. For the next seventeen years, he worked as freelance translator and editor. Having been granted a passport for the first time in 1983-as a result of pressure from international human rights organisations- he undertook research work and intermittently taught at American universities for several years. Finally, in 1989 he defended his thesis and was appointed a reader at the Philosophy Institute of ELTE Faculty of Arts where he has been university professor since 1990. As well as his research and teaching activities, he is a political consultant and commentator.

The Particularity of Politicum