Humanism and Its Aftermath argues for a more engaged deconstruction, one that grapples with actual social institutions and practices while not compromising in its articulation of the difficulties of Jacques Derrida's texts. Against more aestheticized versions of deconstructive politics, Martin argues for a fundamental relation of theory to practice. Using more revolutionary and unorthodox theories and practices of Marxism as a standard for engaged theory, Martin asks if radical deconstruction can develop a sense of urgency without falling into the reductivism (...) and narrowly interest-oriented utilitarianism of more orthodox forms of Marxism. The book develops significant encounters with the work of Susan Bordo, Jean-Luc Nancy, Alex Callinicos, as well as Bataille, Blanchot, Foucault, Habermas, and Rorty. But the larger aim of the book is to reground the politics of anti-imperialism and internationalism in a post-Eurocentric frame. Bill Martin's work is a most extended engagement on deconstruction and social theory; it will therefore be of interest to social theorists and others interested in the ethical and political implications of the work of Jacques Derrida. While scholars and theorists in academia will find this an important work, the book also aims to make sense of the politics of deconstruction for those outside of the academy. (shrink)

Matrix and line develops a social theory using the work of Jacques Derrida as its philosophical basis. In particular, notions of differance, writing, textuality, margin, dissemination, gramme, and others are integrated into the project of formulating a new language of politics. At the same time, the study is focused on the politics in/of language. ;The question of language is at the heart of this study. In the central chapter I argue that, although Habermas is correct to orient social theory toward (...) language, his approach to language is, in my view, not correct. In formulating the alternative, Heidegger, and from analytic philosophy, Donald Davidson, are important contributors in addition to Derrida. ;There are a number of other important engagements in the dissertation, most prominently with Marxist thinkers. However, the study remains focused on what can be developed within the Derridean framework, instead of developing a general response to Marxism. ;The theory addresses postmodern society and culture and is, in that sense, "postmodern." However, postmodernity is theorized as an historical impasse, in which the link between history and memory is severed. Memory is progressively devalued and destroyed. This devaluation is the result of a secularism at the end of its tether. A writerly, participatory approach to society becomes nearly impossible in this context. The notion of "postsecularism" is counterposed to this postmodern hyper-secularism. The prime concern is to develop a new sense of community, one that textually recovers some of the presecular community values , and some of the key achievements of the Enlightenment, and some of the new possibilities that have been generated by the crisis of modernity. (shrink)

A Zen Maoist koan: Bill is developing a crazy synthesis that brings together Buddhism, Maoism, and French Marxism, especially Badiou. Running through all three are themes concerning emptiness, letting go, and contingency. On the other hand, when Bill's mind runs toward just making up stuff that seems funny to him, it is hard for him to stop. This “essay” is a meeting point between these two activities, and at some point in the underdetermined, contingent future there will have to be (...) expansion upon these themes and “examples” – “Joke Ideas,” as Bill calls them – and some serious analysis of what we have learned in this experiment. Best read with John Cage playing in the background – and we don’t mean 4′33″. That would be silly. (shrink)

In what directions is the Australian `new' middle class developing as we move towards the `Asia-Pacific century'? This paper reviews the basic structural features of the group during most of the 20th century, and suggests that a number of the arrangements which had delivered high status, material privileges and security to the group are becoming increasingly problematic. It examines evidence of the growing importance of Asian opportunities to the Australian middle class, and indications of responses to these. Interpreted in the (...) context of contemporary accounts of transformations in identity formation processes, this evidence may signal the emergence of a significant new stratum within the Australian middle class. The paper concludes with some speculations about the significance of such a development. (shrink)

What if a tree told a joke in the woods and there was no one there to hear it? Occasionally I watch The Ellen DeGeneres Show. I have appreciated Ellen as a comedian since she first came on the public scene, and one part of her talk show that I enjoy is the dancing in the opening segment, where Ellen dances to music played by a DJ, and she goes up into the audience and the overwhelmingly female audience dances with (...) her. I like to dance and I enjoy watching other people dance, but the Ellen dance segment also holds a special fascination for me, as there is a style of dancing I have observed over the last twenty-five years or so, a style that might as well be called “lesbian,” and which, if you don’t .. (shrink)

Martin replies to Sciabarra's essay on Rand, Rush, and progressive rock with critical reflections from a Marxist perspective. Focusing on the film version of The Fountainhead, which shares much in common with film noir and Socialist Realism, Martin rejects as reification Rand's emphasis on property as the defining feature of human life. Her dismissal of rock music has overtones of racism and Eurocentrism. The rock band Rush may have drawn inspiration from Howard Roark, but two other real-life role models would (...) have been better suited: Ludwig van Beethoven and Frank Lloyd Wright. (shrink)

In Rogues, Jacques Derrida once again examines some central concepts in political theory and ethics, in the context of the post-9/11world and the present American drive to reforge global hegemony. The book is important not only for what it says about the concepts of sovereignty, unconditionality, law, and justice, but also for engaging in an extended way with the thought of Plato, Aristotle, and especially Kant. Bill Martin argues that Derrida’s thought is vitally significant for radical politics. He compares Rogues, (...) as (arguably) Derrida’s last major work (to appear before his passing in October 2004) with Sartre’s last book, Hope Now. Lastly, Martin memorializes Derrida, whom he knew as teacher and friend, as “a kind and generous man who stood for many good things,” and hereflects on the philosophical trajectory that extends from Sartre to Derrida. (shrink)

BILL MARTIN replies to Sciabarra's essay on Rand, Rush, and progressive rock with critical reflections from a Marxist perspective. Focusing on the film version of The Fountainhead, which shares much in common with film noir and Socialist Realism, Martin rejects as reification Rand's emphasis on property as the defining feature of human life. Her dismissal of rock music has overtones of racism and Eurocentrism. The rock band Rush may have drawn inspiration from Howard Roark, but two other real-life role models (...) would have been better suited: Ludwig van Beethoven and Frank Lloyd Wright. (shrink)

In this original, yet highly accessible work, Martin aims to recover the radicality of Sartre's political project by examining his political interventions, including the debate concerning the Soviet Union during the Stalin period, the question of electoral politics during May 1968 and its aftermath. Looking closely at a number of Sartre's texts, including 'Materialism and Revolution,' 'The Critique of Dialectical Reason,' 'What is Literature,' and journalistic works and interviews, Martin seeks to reveal Sartre's continuing contribution to philosophy in the wake (...) of postmodern, post-socialist and poststructuralist movements. (shrink)

Review of J. Fisher Solomon's "Discourse and Reference in the Nuclear Age"; Diane P. Michefelder's "Dialogue and Deconstruction: The Gadamer-Derrida Encounter"; Rodolphe Gasche's "The Tain of the Mirror: Derrida and the Philosophy of Reflection"; Michael H. McCarthy's "The Crisis in Philosophy"; Amy Gutman and Dennis Thompson's "Ethics and Politics: Cases and Comments".