Althusser, The Infinite Farewell

by Emilio de Ípola, Étienne Balibar (Foreword), Gavin Arnall (Translator)

In Althusser, The Infinite Farewell —originally published in Spanish and appearing here in English for the first time—Emilio de Ípola contends that Althusser’s oeuvre is divided between two fundamentally different and at times contradictory projects. The first is the familiar Althusser, that of For Marx and Reading Capital . Symptomatically reading these canonical texts alongside Althusser’s lesser-known writings, de Ípola reveals a second, subterranean current of thought that flows throughout Althusser’s classic formulations and which only gains explicit expression in his later works. This subterranean current leads Althusser to move toward an aleatory materialism, or a materialism of the encounter. By explicating this key aspect of Althusser’s theoretical practice, de Ípola revitalizes classic debates concerning major theoretico-political topics, including the relationship between Marxism, structuralism, and psychoanalysis; the difference between ideology, philosophy, and science; and the role of contingency and subjectivity in political encounters and social transformation. In so doing, he underscores Althusser’s continuing importance to political theory and Marxist and post-Marxist thought.

184 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Emilio de Ípola es un filósofo y sociólogo argentino.

Reviews

[Greg Florez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good argument about the two layers to Althusser’s thought, not as biographical as the author leads you to think but there are moments of sincerity that are moving. Still can’t decide if Althusser is a good or bad theorist

[Vittirivizzik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly articulate and does not miss its main aim. I was slightly disappointed when the author started to work on the topics which was extracted from the summary of the thought of Althusser. The analysis, imo, lacks a de-constructive analysis, the sociological suggestions from the author did not fully resonate with me. Overall a good book.