Historiospectography? Sande Cohen on Derrida's Specters of Marx

摘要

In this paper I discuss Sande Cohen's engagements with Specters of Marx, Jacques Derrida's most sustained and significant contribution to historical theory (a term that I take to include historiography and philosophy of history) broadly construed. I begin by asserting Cohen's importance for contemporary historical theory in general and, specifically, all historical theory influenced by Derrida's work and/or concerned with issues of justice. I support this assertion by providing an outline of what I understand to be some of the main themes and emphases of Cohen's critique of historiography and historical culture - a critique that has not been given sufficient attention by most historians and historical theorists. Following a few introductory comments regarding Specters, and a more detailed discussion of the idea of 'the messianic' contained therein, I turn to the specifics of Cohen's critique of the mode of philosophical thinking in that text, linking the points he makes back to the themes and emphases of his position previously described. Cohen's critique takes in a range of concepts found in Specters, such as 'the messianic' and 'haunting/hauntology' as well as Derrida's idea of the 'new scholar': the model historiographer. This essay seeks to explore the reasons why Cohen finds Specters to be a 'deeply problematical' text vis--vis historical theory. However, in keeping with the desire for 'legitimate contentiousness' advocated by Cohen, and whilst acknowledging the brilliance and timeliness (in terms of current developments in contemporary historical theory that draw on Derrida's work) of his engagement with the (Cohen's word) 'historiospectography' he understands Derrida to be advancing, this paper concludes by raising some questions regarding aspects of his criticisms of Specters; a - minor - critique in response to (aspects of) Cohen's critique.