Re-Thinking Lotman in the Twenty-First Century

Anyone wishing to explore the universe of contemporary semiotics will necessarily have to reckon with the founding father of the Tartu and Moscow school of semiotics, Juri M. Lotman (1922-1993). A spe- cialist in modern Russian literature, comparatist and philologist, impeccable archival researcher, bril- liant speaker and prolific writer, Lotman laid the foundations of contemporary semiotics, inaugura- ting the strand of research focused on the typological study of cultures, the semiotics of culture. Lot- man’s original contributions are also appreciable outside the boundaries of semiotics itself, testifying to the multifaceted nature of his thought. On the occasion of the centenary of Juri Lotman’s birth, Lexia dedicates a special issue to this internationally renowned scholar. The legacy of Juri Lotman in the 21st century and the theoretical challenge it represents for the future generations of semioticians constitu- te the main subject of this volume.