What is Poststructuralism?. (November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dillet, Benoît
• Is Part Of: Political studies review. Volume 15:Number 4(2017)
• Page Start: 516
• Page End: 527
• Publication Date: 2017-11
• Subjects: poststructuralism -- theoretical practice -- ideology -- Foucault -- Deleuze; Political science -- Book reviews -- Periodicals; Political science -- Periodicals; 320.05
• DOI: 10.1177/1478929917712931
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1478-9299

Abstract

In this article, I discuss the vitality and the limits of the poststructural archive. I argue against the temptation to essentialise poststructuralism or define its 'ontology'; instead, I present some of the avenues that can be taken to further its theoretical practice. With Trump and the rise of 'post-truth' politics, poststructural political thought has recently come back to the centre of political debate. By using Pierre Macherey and François Châtelet's perspective on Marxism, I turn to contemporary problems and studies to imagine how to renew the poststructuralist experience of thought. Following Boris Groys, I suggest that by producing theory as form, artists had a more immediate recourse to theoretical practice, by using all sorts of media to perform knowledge. Finally, by mainly referring to the work of Gilles Deleuze and Michel Foucault, I present some elements of a poststructural critique of political economy. I do this not by forcing the application of poststructural theories or concepts onto a supposedly external reality, but by immanently integrating more and more social and political problems into the schemes of thought. A poststructural theoretical practice means integrating into thought problems and events, in order to compose with them, and not simply study discursive strategies.