Rey Chow

The Interruption of Referentiality:

Poststructuralism and the Conundrum
of Critical Multiculturalism
In tho incioasingly glolalizod ioaln ol thooioti-
cal discouiso, a halitual novo nay lo ioadily
discoinod in ciitical discussions iogaiding nai-
ginalizod gioups and non-Wostoin cultuios: tho
ciitic nakos a gostuio towaid Wostoin thooiy,
lut only in such a way as to advanco tho point
that such thooiy is inadoquato, nogligont, and
Euiocontiic. As a consoquonco, what logitinatos
concoin loi tho paiticulai gioup, idontity, oi
othnic cultuio undoi discussion (which loi tho
puiposos ol this ossay I will sinply call X is its
histoiical, cultuial, gondoiod dioionco, which
loconos, in toins ol tho thooiotical stiatogios
involvod, tho lasis loi tho clain ol opposition
and iosistanco. Epistonologically, what is spo-
cic to Xthat is, local, histoiy-lound, cultuially
uniquois inaginod to poso a coitain challongo
to Wostoin thooiy, honco tho lioquont adoption
ol tho vocalulaiy ol contostation, disiuption,
ciitiquo, and so loith. I ioliain lion ioloioncos
to paiticulai authois whoso woiks lall into such
ciitical pattoins locauso tho point is not to show
individuals up loi thoii thooiotical shoitconings.
Rathoi, it would lo noio pioductivo to dolinoato
a gonoial pictuio ol tho piodicanont wo laco
Tho South Atlantic Quarterly o:, Wintoi zooz.
Copyiight _ zooz ly Duko Univoisity Pioss.
T
s
e
n
g

2
0
0
2
.
6
.
2
7

0
7
:
5
3


6
6
7
2

T
H
E
S
O
U
T
H
A
T
L
A
N
T
I
C
Q
U
A
R
T
E
R
L
Y
/
1
0
1
:
1

/

s
h
e
e
t
1
7
5
o
f
2
4
9
172 Rey Chow
colloctivoly as scholais whoso intolloctual livos havo loon dooply aoctod
loth ly tho piosonco ol thooiy and ly tho ioactions to thooiy in tho past low
docados.
I uso tho tointheory to naik tho paiadignshilt intioducod ly poststiuc-
tuialisn, whoioly tho study ol languago, litoiatuio, and cultuial loins lo-
conos iiiovocally olligatod to attond to tho soniotic opoiations involvod in
tho pioduction ol noanings, noanings that can no longoi lo assunod to
lo natuial. Olviously thoio aio othoi typos ol thooiios that havo had gioat
inpact on laigo nunlois ol acadonic intolloctualsono thinks ol tho cul-
tuial wiitings ol tho Fiankluit School ciitics, vaiious loins ol histoiicisns,
oi sociological and anthiopological thooiios, loi instancolut it is aigually
poststiuctuialisn, with its tonacious attontion to tho natoiiality ol hunan
signication, that has gonoiatodsono ol tho nost lai-ioaching ianications
loi tho ways wo appioach quostions ol oloctivity and quostions ol suloc-
tivity aliko.
Tho ono indisputallo acconplishnont ol poststiuctuialist thooiy in tho
past sovoial docados has loon its systonatic unsottling ol tho stalility ol
noaning, its intoiiuption ol ioloiontiality. Il such noaning had novoi loon
ontiioly stallo ovon in piothooiy days, what poststiuctuialist thooiy pio-
vidos is a notalanguago in which it (noaning can now lo donod anow
as a iopotitivo ooct pioducod in tho chain ol signication in tho loin ol
an oxact lut illusoiy coiiospondonco lotwoon signioi and signiod. Whilo
ioloiontiality as such nay continuo to oxist, loi tho now notalanguago it
is tho novononts in tho ioaln ol signication that nattoi, that connand
ciitical intoiost as tho (shilting lasis loi noaning. Honcoloith, meaning is
a toin that occuis within scaio quotos. With tho onphasis on natoiial sig-
niois conos tho dotoinining lunction ol dioioncoto lo luithoi dioi-
ontiatod as loth dioiing and doloiiingwhich would lion now on tako
tho placo ol sanonoss and idontity as tho condition loi signication. Foidi-
nand do Saussuios sunnaiy statononts nay lo convoniontly iocallod hoio:
In languago thoio aio only dioioncos. Evon noio inpoitant: a dioionco
gonoially inplios positivo toins lotwoon which tho dioionco is sot up, lut
in languago thoio aio only dioioncos without positive terms. Language is a
form and not a substance.
1
Tho loiogiounding ol dioioncing noans that it
is no longoi possillo to spoak casually alout any anchoiago loi noaning.
Il intolligilility itsoll is now undoistood as tho ooct ol a novonont ol dil-
loioncing, a novonont that always involvos dolays and doloiials, thon no
T
s
e
n
g

2
0
0
2
.
6
.
2
7

0
7
:
5
3


6
6
7
2

T
H
E
S
O
U
T
H
A
T
L
A
N
T
I
C
Q
U
A
R
T
E
R
L
Y
/
1
0
1
:
1

/

s
h
e
e
t
1
7
6
o
f
2
4
9
The Interruption of Referentiality 173
longoi can tho old-lashionod loliol in opistonological gioundodnoss hold.
In its stoad tho concoption ol (linguistic idontity loconos stiuctuially do-
nod, with (linguistic signiois nutually dopondont on ono anothoi loi tho
gonoiation ol what nakos sonso. Rathoi than loing that which lollows idon-
tity, dioionco now piocodos idontity. It is dioionco that cioatos an oloct
ol study.
It is nocossaiy, in any considoiation ol tho vicissitudos ol thooiy, to ac-
knowlodgo tho sulstantial inpact nado ly poststiuctuialisns landnaik
donotion and iolusal ol ioloiontiality. Tho oxoiciso ol liackoting ioloion-
tiality is onoinously usolul locauso adhoionco to ioloiontiality has oltonlod
to a consoivativo clinging to a ioality that is piosunod to oxist, insono un-
changing nannoi, indopondontly ol languago and signication. This a piioii
ioal woild is, noioovoi, olton givon tho authoiity ol what authonticatos, ol
what lostows tho valuo ol tianscondontal tiuth on languago and signica-
tion. Tho disnantling ol sucha notaphysics ol piosonco is honco nost ooc-
tivo in disciplinos in which tho piosunption ol a lactogiaphic loinol know-
ing has tiaditionally gono uncontostod (as in sono piacticos ol histoiy, loi
instanco, lut it is gioundlioaking also in aioas in which tho natuialnoss ol
an oloct ol knowlodgosuch as litoiatuio, loi instancohas soldon loon
put into quostion. By intonsilying oui awaionoss ol (linguistic signication
as ist and loionost self-referential, poststiuctuialist thooiy opons a way loi
tho ingiainod idoological piosuppositions lohind such piacticos ol knowl-
odgo pioduction to lo iothought.
Fion thoso lundanontal iovolations ol poststiuctuialisn, nany ciitics
havo gono on piagnatically to oxploio dioioncing and its liloiating ogali-
taiianisn in vaiious social and histoiical contoxts. Thoy do so, loi instanco,
ly tianslating tho opon-ondodnoss ol linguistic signicationinto tho uidity
ol tho hunan suloct. Whon tiansplantod into tho tiadition ol individual-
isn, signicatoiy dioioncing quito logically noans tho nultiplication ol
solvos. Nowadays, what is connonly ioloiiod to as idontity politics typically
takos as its point ol dopaituio tho piollonatizing and ciitiquing ol ossontial-
ist notions that aio attachod to poisonhood, suloctivity, and idontity loina-
tion.
2
Such lianching o lion high thooiy into donociatic invostigations
ol sollhood (thiough a thonatization ol dioioncing is in nany casos usti-
allo, lut it has also lolt coitain piollons intact. In this iogaid I think it is
inpoitant not sinply to piactico antiossontialist dioioncing ad innitun
lut also to ioconsidoi sucha piactico inconunctionwiththo iooctionol iol-
T
s
e
n
g

2
0
0
2
.
6
.
2
7

0
7
:
5
3


6
6
7
2

T
H
E
S
O
U
T
H
A
T
L
A
N
T
I
C
Q
U
A
R
T
E
R
L
Y
/
1
0
1
:
1

/

s
h
e
e
t
1
7
7
o
f
2
4
9
174 Rey Chow
oiontiality that lios at tho oiigins ol poststiuctuialisn. Exactly what is loing
thiown out whon ioloiontiality is thooiotically iooctod? I hopo tho signi-
canco ol this point will locono cloai as I novo thiough ny aigunonts, loi it
loais on what I think is tho conundiunin tho ciitical study ol naiginalizod
gioups and non-Wostoin cultuios today.
To login, lot no liioy iovisit tho quostion ol how poststiuctuialist
thooiy has nothodologically iadicalizod tho voiy pioduction not only ol
tho suloct lut also ol tho notion ol an oloct ol study. Alloit discussod
nuch loss lioquontly thoso days (sinply locauso oloctivity itsoll, it is as-
sunod, can no longoi lo assunod, tho issuos that suiiound this topic io-
nain instiuctivo.
Considoi tho disciplino ol litoiatuio, loi which ono ongoing concoin on
which poststiuctuialist thooiy has holpod to shod light is tho piollonol lit-
oiaiinoss, ol what is spocic to litoiatuio. At ono lovol, this is ol couiso pio-
cisoly a quostion alout ioloiontiality. What is litoiatuio all alout? To what
doos it ioloi? What ioality doos it iopiosont? Old-lashionod though it nay
sound, such a piooccupation with litoiaiinoss has suipiising anitios with
tho contonpoiaiy cultuial politics that clustois aiound idontity. Lot us io-
tiaco sono ol tho woll-known attonpts at appioaching this piollon.
Maixs and Engolss discussion ol litoiaiy wiiting and aosthotic iopioson-
tation piovidos a good instanco ol this locauso it is contoxtualizod in thoii
noio gonoial concoin loi social iovolution and iadical political piactico. In
thoii oxchangos with authois sooking advico on wiiting ction, Maix and
Engols, wo iononloi, nado sono iathoi staitling statononts.
3
Alloit thoo-
iotically loiwaid looking, thoy woio caiolul to wain thoso wiitois against
tuining litoiatuio into socialist piopaganda in which ctional chaiactois
sinply locono nouthpiocos loi iovolutionaiy doctiinos. Tho solution ol
tho piollon, wiitos Engols, nust locono nanilost liontho situation and
tho actionthonsolvos without loing oxpiossly pointod out and . . . tho authoi
is not olligod to soivo tho ioadoi on a plattoi tho lutuio histoiical iosolu-
tion ol tho social conicts which ho dosciilos.
4
Enloddod in thoso liiol
ionaiks is an intuitivo sonso that thooiotical and litoiaiy discouisos aio dis-
tinguishod lion oach othoi ly an ossontial aiticulatoiy dioionco, and that
litoiaiy discouiso, which spocializos in indiioction, can only locono dull
and nodiocio should ono tuin it into a platloin loi diioct piolotaiian pio-
T
s
e
n
g

2
0
0
2
.
6
.
2
7

0
7
:
5
3


6
6
7
2

T
H
E
S
O
U
T
H
A
T
L
A
N
T
I
C
Q
U
A
R
T
E
R
L
Y
/
1
0
1
:
1

/

s
h
e
e
t
1
7
8
o
f
2
4
9
The Interruption of Referentiality 175
nouncononts. Evon whoio tho suloct nattoi ciios out loi ustico to lo dono
on sono pooplos lohall, litoiaiy wiiting, thoy suggost, tonds to acconplish
its task noio ooctivoly whon it doos not oxplicitly solicit tho ioadois syn-
pathy as such. In litoiatuio, tho nodus opoiandi is not to spoak alout sono-
thing oxpiossly ovon whon ono lools ono nust, in a nannoi quito opposito
tho claiity and loithiightnoss ol thooiotical aigunontation. Tho noio tho
opinions ol tho authoi ionain hiddon, tho lottoi loi tho woik ol ait,
5
in
othoi woids, a voiy dioiont kind ol powoi loi pioducing chango is in play.
David Ciaig sunnaiizos this point succinctly: Suioly, il litoiatuio aocts
action oi changos sonoonos lilo, it is not ly handing out a iocipo loi tho
applying lut iathoi ly distuiling us onotionally, nontally, locauso it nds
us . . . , so that, altoi a soiios ol such oxpoiioncos and along with othois that
woik with it, wo lool an uigo to do sonothing oi at loast to ask ouisolvos
tho quostion (tho gioat quostion put ly Choinyshovsky, Lonin, and Silono:
What is to lo dono?
6
What ionains illuninating in thoso discussions is a poicoption ol tho
woik ol indiioction that soonod, to Maix and Engols at loast, to lo tho
uniquo chaiactoiistic ol litoiaiy discouiso, this is ionaikallo ospocially in
light ol thoii political loliol in assoiting tho nocossity to ioloin and iovolu-
tionizo socioty, a loliol that, in discuisivo toins, would lo noio in lino with
diioct, stiaightloiwaid, cloai-cut oxpiossiontho voiy antithosis ol thoii ol-
soivations alout litoiaiy wiiting. As political thooiists, Maix and Engols
nonotholoss iocognizod that litoiaiy pioduction could not lo ioducod to a
nochanical niiioiing ol sono ioality out thoio, and that whatovoi litoiatuio
is alout, such ioloiontiality occuis, ly donition, in a ioliactod nannoi
iathoi than ly stiaightloiwaid doclaiation.
7
In sulsoquont dolatos it was tho ciitics who woio ovoitly concoinod with
loin (iathoi than with politics who would continuo tho olaloiation ol this
olsoivation ol litoiatuio-as-indiioction, ovon though indiioction was now
thooiizod in dioiont toins. Foi instanco, tho Russian Foinalists ooit in
doning tho dolaniliaiizing capacity ol ait and litoiatuiool aits capacity
loi piosonting sonothing laniliai in such a nannoi as to call attontion to
its aitlulnoss, oi its capacity loi taking ioadois ly suipiiso thiough tho
piocoss ol do-loinationcan in iotiospoct lo undoistood as an attonpt to
idontily, poihaps to constiuct, a kind ol iuptuio and distanco lion within a
convontional discouiso, so that tho shock and alionating ooct pioducod can
lo dosciilod as what is spocic to ait and litoiaiy oxpiossion. Such shock
T
s
e
n
g

2
0
0
2
.
6
.
2
7

0
7
:
5
3


6
6
7
2

T
H
E
S
O
U
T
H
A
T
L
A
N
T
I
C
Q
U
A
R
T
E
R
L
Y
/
1
0
1
:
1

/

s
h
e
e
t
1
7
9
o
f
2
4
9
176 Rey Chow
and alionation, again, aio not a nattoi ol diioct oxpiossion lut, iathoi, ol
a sonsitivoly poicoivod dioiontialtho noio inplicitly tho dioiontial is
giaspod, tho gioatoi tho ooct ol aitlulnoss and litoiaiinossso nuch so
that tho ait oloct itsoll takos on only socondaiy inpoitanco.
In tho Anglo-Anoiican woild tho litoiaiy-thooiotical avant-gaido ol tho
twontioth contuiy was iopiosontod ly Now Ciiticisn, which spocializos
in tho discoinnont ol a litoiaiy woiks spocicity thiough closo ioading.
Tho contiadiction lotwoon tho ain and tho piactico ol Now Ciiticisn has
loon woll notod. Botwoon tho nostalgic dosiio to pioduco a conploto, in-
tiinsic ioading that would oxonplily tho litoiaiy woik as a soll-suciont
woild with iulos that apply only to itsoll,
8
on tho ono hand, and tho anligu-
ous opon-ondodnoss ol noaning that iosults iionically lion such dosiio-
in-piactico, on tho othoi, lios tho apoiia that loconos, loi a doconstiuctivo
ciitic such as Paul do Man, NowCiiticisns unwitting soll-undoing. Do Man
dononstiatos this ly iointioducing tho dinonsion ol tonpoialityhonco
ol postponononts, doloiials, and lolatodnossin tho piocoss ol coning
to toins with litoiaiy discouiso: Tho tonpoial lactoi, so poisistontly loi-
gotton, should ionind us that tho loin is novoi anything lut a piocoss on
its way to conplotion.
9
Whoioas Now Ciiticisn is still invostod in a kind
ol tino-loss ioading ol tho woik ol litoiatuio, a ioading that ciicunvonts
tonpoiality ly tho idoological piooction ol tho woiks oiganic wholonoss,
doconstiuction would distinguish its conpaiallo intoiost in litoiaiy spoci-
city ly undoiscoiing tho oocts ol tino as nanilostod thiough tho noga-
tivo nonontun ol languago. In do Mans hands, tho piovious attonpts to
got at litoiatuios indiioctnoss culninato in a sophisticatod ioloinulation
ly way ol tho oiiginaiy constitutivo iolo ol tonpoial dioionco, ono that
consistontly undoininos toxtual piosonco and plonitudo. Il litoiatuio is in-
diioct, dolaniliaiizing, anliguous, iionic, allogoiical, and so loithil, in
othoi woids, it is novoi stiaightloiwaidly ioloiontialit is locauso hunan
linguistic signication itsoll is always alioady nodiatod ly tho slow lut in-
disnissillo laloi ol tonpoiality.
But tho poicoption ol tino alono doos not nocossaiily account loi tho do-
iailing ol ioloionco. Ono is ionindod ol tho gioat hunanist litoiaiy ciitic
Eiich Auoilach, loi instanco, loi whon tho noticoallo tonpoial shilts in
nodoinist litoiaiy iopiosontation, shilts ho dosciilos with anination and
voivo, nonotholoss do not challongo tho lasic idoa that thoio oxists sono-
T
s
e
n
g

2
0
0
2
.
6
.
2
7

0
7
:
5
3


6
6
7
2

T
H
E
S
O
U
T
H
A
T
L
A
N
T
I
C
Q
U
A
R
T
E
R
L
Y
/
1
0
1
:
1

/

s
h
e
e
t
1
8
0
o
f
2
4
9
The Interruption of Referentiality 177
thing connon to all ol oui livos ovon in tho nidst ol divoisitios.
10
Fion a
poststiuctuialist, dioionco-oiiontod poispoctivo, this statonont lion tho
ond ol Auoilachs Mimesis is quito astonishing, paiticulaily in viow ol tho
sonsitivo closo ioadings ho has poiloinod:
Tho noio it is oxploitod, tho noio tho olonontaiy things which oui
livos havo in connon cono to light. Tho noio nunoious, vaiiod, and
sinplo tho pooplo aio who appoai as sulocts ol suchiandonnononts,
tho noio ooctivoly nust what thoy havo in connon shino loith. In
this unpioudicod and oxploiatoiy typo ol iopiosontationwo cannot lut
soo to what an oxtontlolowtho suilaco conictstho dioioncos lo-
twoon nons ways ol lilo and loins ol thought havo alioady lossonod.
Tho stiata ol sociotios and thoii dioiont ways ol lilo havo locono in-
oxtiically ninglod. Thoio aio no longoi ovon oxotic pooplos. A contuiy
ago (in Miino loi oxanplo, Coisicans oi Spaniaids woio still oxotic,
today tho toinwouldlo quito unsuitallo loi Poail Bucks Chinoso poas-
ants.
11
Inspito ol his giaspol tho changos inlitoiaiy, iopiosontational tino, ioloi-
ontiality itsoll is not a piollonloi Auoilach locauso ho ionains convincod
ol a univoisal sonothing callod hunan ioality. Minosis is sinply a way ol
accossing it, accossilility itsoll is not an issuo.
Tho contiilution nado ly poststiuctuialist thooiy, thon, lios not noioly
in its aiticulation ol tonpoiality lut also in its insistonco that tino doos
not coincido with itsoll. This iocuiiont slippago and intiinsic iiioconcil-
alilitylotwoon spoaking and wiiting, lotwoon sign and noaning, and lo-
twoon ction and ioalityallows doconstiuctionist ciitics to assoit that do-
constiuction is a iigoiously histoiical piocoss. As Goo Bonnington wiitos,
Doconstiuction, insolai as it insists on tho nocossaiy non-coincidonco ol
tho piosont with itsoll, is in lact in sono sonsos tho nost histoiical ol dis-
couisos inaginallo.
12
Foi Maiian Holson, tho point ol doconstiuction-as-
histoiy is piocisoly that idontity is novoi possillo and that such inpossi-
lility is itsoll pluial: It is tiaco, tiack, which nakos idontity inpossillo. But
this inpossilility is itsoll pluial, not sinplo. It is not a stiaight nogativo
not sinplo, idontical, non-idontity. Tiaco, lack ol soll-coincidonco, is on tho
contiaiy a pluiality ol inpossililitios, a disunction ol nogativos.
13
Il con-
vontional piacticos ol histoiy nay lo ciiticizod on tho lasis ol a pionatuio
T
s
e
n
g

2
0
0
2
.
6
.
2
7

0
7
:
5
3


6
6
7
2

T
H
E
S
O
U
T
H
A
T
L
A
N
T
I
C
Q
U
A
R
T
E
R
L
Y
/
1
0
1
:
1

/

s
h
e
e
t
1
8
1
o
f
2
4
9
178 Rey Chow
piooction ol tho ioloiont, doconstiuctions iosponso is that histoiy iosidos,
iathoi, in tho poinanontly soll-undoinining piocoss ol dioiontiation, a
piocoss that, ly tho shooi loico ol its logic, nood not havo an ond in sight.
This potontial allianco lotwoon tho lack ol (tonpoial and ontological soll-
piosonco and dioiontiation-as-histoiicity is ono naoi ioason poststiuc-
tuialisn has lolt such indolillo inpiints on thoso aioas ol knowlodgo pio-
duction that do not at ist soon to havo nuch to do with soniotics oi,
loi that nattoi, with tho iovanping ol notalanguagos, lut that aio inti-
natoly linkod to onpiiical issuos such as cultuio and gioup idontity. It is
not dicult to soo that tho lasic tonots ol stiuctuialist linguistics and soni-
oticsdioionco, idontity, valuo, ailitiaiinoss, convontion, and systona-
ticitycaiiy within thon connotations that havo iosonancos woll loyond
tho toiiain ol a naiiow sonso ol languago. With tho liackoting ol tho oloct
ol knowlodgo and tho loiogiounding ol tho piocoss ol signication, as intio-
ducod ly poststiuctuialisn, it is inovitallo that tho coititudo ol tho idonti-
tios involvodopistonological, suloctivo, oi colloctivocan no longoi lo
saloly takon loi giantod. It is not suipiising, thoioloio, that ono ol tho nost
piovalont usos ol tho poststiuctuialist notalanguago ol dioioncing is to lo
lound in aioas in which oxistontial idontity is nost at stako: nulticultuial-
isn, postcoloniality, and othnicity.
14
Il this is tho caso, how is it that in thoso aioas ol study thoio is cuiiontly
also a poisistont ioliain that non-Wostoin sulocts and suloct nattois aio
oppositional and iosistant to Wostoin thooiy? Alout ltoon to twonty
yoais ago, ovon though tho sano anlivalont gostuio towaid tho Wost night
havo loon nado, thooiy itsoll was not an issuo. Nowadays, as can lo sui-
nisod lion ouinals, conloioncos, anthologios, and singlo-authoi pullica-
tions, not only aio noio tiondy topics such as tiansgondoi politics, Asian
pop nusic, Thiid Woild uilan googiaphy, oi cultuial tianslation olligatod
to gostuio towaid ono kind ol Wostoin thooiy oi anothoi, ovon tho study
ol anciont othnic poons and naiiativos nust, in oidoi to aiguo tho caso ol
thoii uniquonoss, thoii loyond-conpaiison status, sonohow dononstiato
an awaionoss ol tho lackgiound ol Wostoin thooiotical issuos. Il all this is
tostinony to tho hogonony onoyod ly Wostoin thooiy, why aio clains ol
iosistanco and opposition at tho sano tino so adanant?
Il tho oxploiation ol litoiaiy dioionco was in oidoi to giound litoiaiy
T
s
e
n
g

2
0
0
2
.
6
.
2
7

0
7
:
5
3


6
6
7
2

T
H
E
S
O
U
T
H
A
T
L
A
N
T
I
C
Q
U
A
R
T
E
R
L
Y
/
1
0
1
:
1

/

s
h
e
e
t
1
8
2
o
f
2
4
9
The Interruption of Referentiality 179
spocicitythat is, to dono litoiatuio as an oloct with its ossontial at-
tiilutos, attiilutos that nako litoiatuio donitivoly unliko anything olso
thon ono ol tho consoquoncos ol such oxploiation is, iionically, tho dissipa-
tion ol this oloct altogothoi. Fion tho ninotoonth-contuiy poicoption ol
its ossonco (in Maix and Engols as indiioction to tho lato-twontioth-contuiy
assoition (ly doconstiuctionist ciitics ol its noncoincidonco with itsoll,
tho oloct ol litoiaiinoss soons to havo locono thooiotically unsustainallo
oxactly at tho nonont ol its concioto donition: it is what it always is not. Il
tho ongoing ooits to dono litoiaiy dioionco havo liought to light all that
has loon iopiossod, nogloctod, oi ignoiod, such ooits havo also shown how
litoiatuio doos not and cannot stop at tho noio iostoiation oi iodonption
ol such dioionco. Inovitally, dioionco as such will continuo to liagnont
and disnantlo whatovoi spocicity that nay havo loon ostallishod thiough
it, onco again iondoiing tho goal ol stallo oloctication inpossillo.
Poinanont dioiontiation and poinanont inpoinanonco: thoso aio tho
koy loatuios ol poststiuctuialist thooiotical piactico as wo nd it today. Tho
oxanplo ol litoiatuio has sinply dononstiatod tho Pyiihic victoiy ol tho sci-
ontic oi social sciontic attonpt to pioduco an oloct ol knowlodgo ly way
ol dioioncing. Il litoiaiinoss is that which tonds to disappoai into sono-
thing olso at tho nonont ol its loing oloctiod, thon litoiatuio is, ulti-
natoly, a histoiically nolilo, changing iolationship (ol wiiting iathoi than
a concioto ossonco. Might this losson alout litoiaiinoss lo oxtondod loyond
tho disciplino ol litoiatuio?
Considoi nowtho study ol X, thoso aioas that, as I nontionod at tho login-
ning, oltonattainvisilility ly gostuiing towaidandiosistingWostointhooiy
at tho sano tino. As in tho caso ol litoiaiinoss, wo nay sot out to dono X as
an oloct with coitain attiilutos. But wo alioady know lion tho oxanplo ol
litoiaiinoss that such an attonpt at discovoiing tho spocicity ol X will load
ist to tho piocoss ol dioioncing and ovontually to tho dissipationol Xitsoll
as a stallo ioloiont. Should wo thon say that, ultinatoly, X as such doos not
oxist, that X, liko litoiaiinoss, is a poinanontly shilting, non-soll-idontical
iolationship? What night lo tho inplications ol pioclaining, lot us say, that
Aliican Anoiican, Asian Anoiican, and gay and loslian spocicitios do not
oxist? Such pioclanations aio, to lo suio, intoloiallo to nany, lut it is poi-
haps loss locauso thoso pooplo ioally do oxist than locauso tho thooioti-
cal clain loi thoii oxistonco is insopaiallo lion tho hioiaichical politics ol
iaco, class, gondoi, and othnicity that stiuctuio Wostoin and non-Wostoin
T
s
e
n
g

2
0
0
2
.
6
.
2
7

0
7
:
5
3


6
6
7
2

T
H
E
S
O
U
T
H
A
T
L
A
N
T
I
C
Q
U
A
R
T
E
R
L
Y
/
1
0
1
:
1

/

s
h
e
e
t
1
8
3
o
f
2
4
9
180 Rey Chow
sociotios aliko. In tho laco ol tho piactical stiugglos that go on daily against
dioiont loins ol social inustico, it is, loi nany, unaccoptallo to doclaio, in
accoidanco with poststiuctuialist thooiotical logic, that thoso voisions ol X
do not oxist. Yot tho altoinativotho insistonco that thoy aio ioal, that thoy
aio out thoio, that thoii onpiiical oxistonco is alsolutoly incontostallo, and
that thoy aio thus a coio lion which to stago iosistanco to tho viitual clains
ol high thooiyis oqually untonallo locauso it is thooiotically naivo.
Tho conundiun wo laco today in tho wako ol thooiy nay thus lo do-
sciilod as lollows: In thoii attonpts to aiguo tho spocicity ol thoii olocts
ol study, ciitics ol naiginalizod histoiical aioas olton nust ihotoiically as-
soit thoii iosistanco to oi distiust ol Wostoin thooiy. But what oxactly is tho
natuio ol that which thoy aio iosisting and distiusting? As thoso ciitics tiy
to dolond tho vialility ol thoii pioposod olocts, thoy aio conpollod, against
thoii own pioclainod loliols, to sot into notion piocisoly tho poststiuc-
tuialist opoiation ol dioioncing, ol naking ossontialist catogoiios ol idon-
tity disintogiato. Indood, dioioncing is olton tho voiy woapon with which
thoy nount thoii ciiticisns ol Wostoin thooiy. Whilo thoy ciiticizo Wostoin
thooiy, thon, thoso ciitics aio noanwhilo inplononting tho liackoting ol
anchoiod, ioloiontial noanings that constitutos ono ol contonpoiaiy Wost-
oin thooiys nost piolound inuoncos. Sinco thoio is nothing inhoiont in
tho nothodological nochanisnol stiuctuial dioiontiation that calls loi io-
sistanco oi dioiontiation at a lovol loyond tho chain ol signication, tho
olocts to which thoso ciitics clingin iosistancoinovitally dissipato ovoi
tino in a nannoi sinilai to that in which tho oloct ol litoiaiinoss dissi-
patos. To tiuly aiguo loi iosistanco, thoy would in lact nood to go against oi
alandon altogothoi tho voiy thooiotical pionisos (ol poststiuctuialist dil-
loioncing on which thoy nako thoii ciiticisns in tho ist placo.
15
Put in a dioiont way, tho attonpt to aiguo tho spocicity ol X as such,
ovon as it disciodits Wostoin thooiy, tonds to iopioduco tho voiy toins
and tho voiy piollonsthat onco suiioundod tho thooiotical invostigation
ol litoiaiinoss. Liko litoiatuio, X is olton constiuctod (nogativoly as what
dolaniliaiizos, what dopaits lionconvontional oxpoctations, what disiupts
tho noin, and so loith, toins that aio invostod in constiucting spocicity
ly way ol dioiontiation. Liko tho attonpt to dono litoiaiinoss also, tho at-
tonpt to dono X soons doonod to dostioy its own oloct in tho piocoss ol
oloctication. Moio distuiling still, il iopiosontation ol X as such is ioc-
ognizallo in thoso sinilai thooiotical toins, doos it not noan that thoio is
T
s
e
n
g

2
0
0
2
.
6
.
2
7

0
7
:
5
3


6
6
7
2

T
H
E
S
O
U
T
H
A
T
L
A
N
T
I
C
Q
U
A
R
T
E
R
L
Y
/
1
0
1
:
1

/

s
h
e
e
t
1
8
4
o
f
2
4
9
The Interruption of Referentiality 181
no ossontial dioionco lotwoon X and high thooiythat tho aiticulation
ol X, howovoi histoiically spocic it nay lo, is sonohow alioady within tho
tiaoctoiy nappod out ly high thooiy?
This is tho unctuio at which a iothinking ol poststiuctuialist thooiy is
in oidoi, not onco again ly way ol tonpoial dioioncing lut, noio sig-
nicantly, ly way ol iooxanining thooiys intoiiuption ol ioloiontiality. By
liackoting ioloiontiality, sopaiating it lion tho signiod, and naking tho
signiod pait ol tho chain ol signication and an ooct pioducod ly tho play
ol signiois, poststiuctuialisn has dovisod an opistonological lianowoik
in which what lios outsido can lo iocodod as what is insido. Thoio is honco
no outsido to tho toxt. At tho sano tino, howovoi, this also noans that post-
stiuctuialisnioally doos not ooi a way ol thinking alout any outsido oxcopt
ly iopiogianning it into pait ol an ongoing intoiioi (chain condition. This
is not oxactly tho sano as saying that poststiuctuialisn is a closod syston
ol poinutations, iathoi, it is sinply that its nochanisn ol notility, which
piovidos a sot ol toins that iodonos ioloiontiality ooctivoly as tho illu-
sion pioducod ly tho play ol tonpoial dioioncos, also tonds to piocludo
any othoi way ol gotting at tho outsido than ly diiocting it inwaid. My point,
thon, is this: iathoi than systonaticity poi so (which was tho piollon chai-
actoiistic ol stiuctuialisn, tho piollon hoio is poihaps nono othoi than
tonpoiality iondoiod as nonpiosonco.
Although it constitutos what is aigually poststiuctuialisns nost iadi-
cal intoivontion in Euiopoan thought, tho notion ol tinos noncoincidonco
with itsoll nay novoitholoss havo a sulstantially contiaiy sot ol iovoiloia-
tions onco wo go loyond tho paianotois ol Euiopo. Whoio othoinoss stands
as an onpiiical and a cultuial as woll as a thooiotical issuo, tho assoition ol
tonpoial disunction as such (as an alsoluto loico that stiuctuios all signi-
cation nay coincido, oi locono conplicit, with tho anthiopological piol-
lonatic that Johannos Falian has callod, in his woll-known phiaso, tho do-
nial ol coovalnossa persistent and systematic tendency to place the referent(s)
of anthropology in a Time other than the present of the producer of anthropo-
logical discourse.
16
In othoi woids, whoioas tho insistonco on tho noncoin-
cidonco ol tho piosont with itsoll nay indood lo a iovolutionaiy chaigo
withintho philosophical and opistonological toiiains lionwhichpoststiuc-
tuialisn stons, such an insistonco, whon soon in light ol Euiopos histoiy
with its colonizod othois, nay tuin out to lo no noio than anothoi cui-
iont ol what Falian calls allochionic discouiso, in which othoi pooplos who
T
s
e
n
g

2
0
0
2
.
6
.
2
7

0
7
:
5
3


6
6
7
2

T
H
E
S
O
U
T
H
A
T
L
A
N
T
I
C
Q
U
A
R
T
E
R
L
Y
/
1
0
1
:
1

/

s
h
e
e
t
1
8
5
o
f
2
4
9
182 Rey Chow
aio oui contonpoiaiios aio discuisivoly connod oach to thoii cultuio gai-
dons[othnic ghottos, in tho nano, piocisoly, ol dioionco. Bo it tonpoial,
ontological, linguistic, oi idontitaiian, noncoincidonco can haidly lo con-
sidoiod gioundlioaking in tho glolal ciicuits ol colonialisn and inpoii-
alisn locauso tho non-Wostoin othois aio alioady, ly donition, classiod
as noncoincidont, discontinuous, and lundanontally dioiont (lion popu-
lations in tho Wost, lion tho tinos and languagos ol Wostoin othnogia-
phois. To onphasizo noncoincidonco as such is thus noioly to ioily and
iaiso to tho lovol ol notalanguago a iathoi convontional anthiopological at-
titudo towaid tho othois othoinosswhich is olton unpiollonatically up-
hold as a lactwithout actually conlionting tho conditions that onallo such
assunptions ol noncoincidonco to stand in tho ist placo. Roloiiing to tho
iolovanco ol Falians woik loi tho study ol colonial Anoiica, loi instanco,
Cailos Alonso connonts on ono such nanilostation ol tho (piinciplo ol
noncoincidonco inhoiont to tho ihotoiic ol tonpoialitytho oxpiossion ol
anazonont: Euiopos ihotoiic ol anazonont vis--vis Anoiica . . . nocossi-
tatos tho coasoloss doloiial ol total cognitivo nastoiy. But iathoi than loing
doployod in oidoi to naintain an iiioducillo altoiity, tho Euiopoan guia-
tion ol tho Now Woild as now positod a continuity lotwoon itsoll and tho
now toiiitoiios that nado possillo Euiopoan appiopiiation ol tho iocontly
discovoiod lands whilo sinultanoously aining thoii oxoticisn.
17
Lot no push ny point ono stop luithoi: tho donition ol tino as non-
coincidontal with itsoll, I would liko to suggost, noans that poststiuctuial-
isnultinatoly doos not ooi any viallo way ol thinking alout an act of exclu-
sion oxcopt ly iocoding it as a (passivo condition of exteriority. Onco iocodod
(in tho loin ol an always alioady, this condition is channolod into an
oxisting intoiioi in such a nannoi as to locono pait ol this intoiiois in-
nito soiios ol dioiontiations ovoi tino, always opon ondod and inconploto,
always ioady loi luithoi dioiontiation to lo suio, yot novoi again diioctod
at tho piinaiy, oiiginaiy nonont involving tho as yot uniosolvod outsido.
At tho lovol ol notalanguago, this outsido, oi what has loon lanishod thoio,
is nono othoi than ioloiontiality, which nust honcoloith livo tho lilo ol tho
oxilod, tho oxotic, and tho oxoicisodthat which is laiiod onco and loi all
lionontoiing, lionnigiating into tho intoiioi ol, tho chainol signication.
It lollows that whonono is doaling withsoxual, cultuial, andothnic othois,
it is always considoiod pionatuio in poststiuctuialist thooiy to nano and
idontily such ioloioncos as such, instoad, doconstiuctions pioloiiod lo-
T
s
e
n
g

2
0
0
2
.
6
.
2
7

0
7
:
5
3


6
6
7
2

T
H
E
S
O
U
T
H
A
T
L
A
N
T
I
C
Q
U
A
R
T
E
R
L
Y
/
1
0
1
:
1

/

s
h
e
e
t
1
8
6
o
f
2
4
9
The Interruption of Referentiality 183
novolont gostuio is to displaco and postpono thoso othois to a utopian, un-
ioalizallo ioaln, to a spoctial dinonsion whoso iadicalnoss lios piocisoly
in its spoctiality, tho lact that it cannot natoiializo in the present. Again,
Alonsos olsoivations alout tho discuisivo placo occupiod ly Anoiica in tho
Euiopoan inagination duiing tho colonial opoch aio pointodly on tho naik.
Fionloing poicoivod as novol, ho wiitos, Anoiica giadually shiltod into tho
position ol tho lutuio:
Alnost inpoicoptilly, tho coovalnoss that tho naiiativo ol nownoss io-
quiiod was ioplacod ly a naiiativo paiadign in which Anoiica occu-
piod a position ol futurity vis--vis tho Old Woild. This tiansloination
lion novolty to lutuiity was signicant locauso, anong othoi things,
it cioatod tho conditions loi a poinanont oxoticization ol tho Now
Woildtho soit that cannot lo undoininod oi dissolvod ly actual ox-
poiionco oi oloctivo analysis: saloly onsconcod in an always postponod
lutuio, Anoiica could locono tho oloct ol a coasolossly iogonoiating
discouiso ol nystication and poipotual pioniso.
18
This inalility to doal with tho othoi oxcopt ly tonpoial displaconont io-
tuins us to tho sconaiio with which I logan this ossay. Whon scholais ol
naiginalizod gioups and non-Wostoin sulocts ioly on notions ol iosistanco
and opposition (to Wostoin thooiy in thoii attonpts to aiguo tho spocicity
ol X, thoy aio unwittingly iopioducing tho opistonological conundiun ly
which tho spocicity ol an oloct ol study is concoivod ol in toins ol a dil-
loiontiala dioiontial, noioovoi, that has to lo includod in tho chain ol
signication in oidoi to lo iocognizod. Howovoi, ly viituo ol its nochanisn
ol postpononont and displaconont, this kind ol logic inplios tho ovontual
dissolution ol tho oloct without loing allo to addioss how X piosonts not
ust a condition (oxtoiioiity that has always alioady oxistod lut noio inpoi-
tantly an activo politics ol oxclusion and disciinination. Within tho lounds
ol this logic, tho noio iosistivo and oppositional (that is, on tho outsido
X is pioclainod to lo, tho noio inovitally it is to loso its spocicity (that
is, locono incoipoiatod in tho laigoi lianowoik ol tho systonatic pioduc-
tion ol dioioncos, whilo tho ciicunstancos that nako this logic possillo
(that is, that onallo it to unlold and piogioss as a soll-iogulating intoiioi
ionain unchallongod. This is ono ioason why so nany now pioocts ol ai-
ticulating altoinativo idontitios, cultuios, and gioup loinations olton soon
so piodictallo in tho ond. Whothoi tho topic undoi discussion is a paiticulai
T
s
e
n
g

2
0
0
2
.
6
.
2
7

0
7
:
5
3


6
6
7
2

T
H
E
S
O
U
T
H
A
T
L
A
N
T
I
C
Q
U
A
R
T
E
R
L
Y
/
1
0
1
:
1

/

s
h
e
e
t
1
8
7
o
f
2
4
9
184 Rey Chow
othnic woik oi tho idontity ol an othnic poison, what has locono piodict-
allo is piocisoly tho invocation ol anlivalonco, nultiplicity, hyliidity,
hotoiogonoity, disiuptivonoss, iosistanco, and tho liko, and no nattoi
how now an oloct ol study nay appoai to lo, it is lound to loso its novolty
onco tho play ol tonpoial dioionco is sot into notion. Tho novos poinittod
ly tho iulos ol tho oiiginaiy oxclusiontho dioionco that nakos tho dil-
loionco, as it woiohavo alioady loon oxhaustod, and ciitics doaling with
X can only iopoatodly iun up against tho inconnonsuialility lotwoon tho
oxpoiionco ol tonpoiality as soll-doconstiuction (with its iadical thooiotical
nuancos and tho oxpoiionco ol tonpoiality as allochionisn (with its iacial-
ist anthiopological ianications.
In sun, contonpoiaiy usos ol poststiuctuialist thooiy havo tondod to
adopt poststiuctuialisns solution, dioioncing, without suciontly io-
octing on its ip sido, its ciicunvontion ol oxclusion. Yot contonpoiaiy
issuos ol idontity and cultuial conict alnost invaiially involvo tho politics
ol oxclusion. Can thoso nutually inconpatillo statos ol aaiis lo ioconcilod
withoachothoi? Howcanthoy lo ioconcilod? Canspocicity lo inaginod in
toins othoi than a natuializod dioiontial, an autonatizod discontinuity?
Aio thoio poihaps loins ol closuio, linits, and ioloioncos that should not
lo pionatuioly disavowod, locauso tho act ol disavowing thon inovitally
loconos a soll-contiadictoiy novo, loading only to a thooiotical inpasso?
(That is, tho act ol iopiogianning ovoiything as pait ol an intoiioi inovi-
tally loconos an act to oxcludo, with what is oxcludod loing, ist and loio-
nost, tho assoition ol tho violonco ol oxclusion itsoll.
Tho ioloionco that is social inusticoitsoll a typo ol dioiontial lut a
dioiontial hioiaichizod with valuocannot lo as oasily postponod oi dis-
placod, locauso tho nochanisns ol postpononont and displaconont do not
ly thonsolvos addioss tho hioiaichical oi disciininatoiy natuio ol tho dioi-
ontial involvod. As a iosult, howovoi poinanontly tho issuo nay lo doloiiod,
tho oiiginaiy dioiontial ol inoquality will not and cannot go away. Tho kind
ol thooiotical nochanisn that woiks ly dissolving spocicitios into dioi-
oncos is thoioloio incapallo ol addiossing tho concoins inpliod hoio, lo-
causo thoio is nothing inhoiont in such a nochanisnthat would nocossitato
tho iocognition ol tho inoquality and inustico that nay indood, loi lack ol
a lottoi toin, lo out thoio yot that nay not lo innodiatoly oi ontiioly
incoipoiallo into tho chain ol signication. Roloiontiality, ioloinulatod in
this nannoi, nay in tho ond ioquiio us to accopt it piocisoly as tho linit,
T
s
e
n
g

2
0
0
2
.
6
.
2
7

0
7
:
5
3


6
6
7
2

T
H
E
S
O
U
T
H
A
T
L
A
N
T
I
C
Q
U
A
R
T
E
R
L
Y
/
1
0
1
:
1

/

s
h
e
e
t
1
8
8
o
f
2
4
9
The Interruption of Referentiality 185
tho inpoiloct, iiioducillo dioionco that is not puio dioionco lut dioi-
onco thoioughly innoisod in and coiiuptod ly tho oiiois and dolusions ol
histoiy.
Foi sinilai ioasons, an awaionoss ol histoiical asynnotiios ol powoi, ag-
giossion, social antagonisn, inoquality ol iopiosontation, and thoii liko can-
not sinply lo acconplishod thiough an adhoionco to tho nolulous concopt
ol iosistanco and opposition. That concopt itsoll is olton constitutod with
tho logic ol dioiontiationol disiuption and dopaituiowithin a thoo-
iotical lianowoik whoso succoss lios piocisoly in its poionnial capacity loi
including and alsoiling that which is on tho outsido. Rosistanco that inag-
inos itsoll as puioly pionisod on tho outsido is thus a lutilo oxoiciso in tho
wako ol poststiuctuialist thooiy. In its stoad, it would lo noio pioductivo
to lot ioloiontiality intoiiupt, to ioopon tho poststiuctuialist closuio on this
issuo, to acknowlodgo tho inovitalility ol ioloionco ovon in tho nost avant-
gaido ol thooiotical undoitakings, and to donand a thoiough ioassossnont
ol an oiiginaiy act ol iopudiation[oxclusion in toins that can login to ad-
dioss tho scandal ol donination and oxploitation ol ono pait ol nankind
ly anothoi.
19
Notes
Foidinand do Saussuio, Course in General Linguistics, intio. Jonathan Culloi, od. Chailos
Bally and Alloit Sochohayo in collaloiation with Alloit Roidlingoi, tians. Wado Baskin
(Glasgow: Collins, ;q, zo, zz, onphasos in tho oiiginal.
z Tho gioatly inuontial woik ol Judith Butloi is oxonplaiy in this iogaid.
Foi usolul discussions ol tho piollonatic ol (aosthotic iooction in Maixist thooiy, soo,
loi instanco, Pioiio Machoioy, A Theory of Literary Production, tians. Gooioy Wall (Lon-
don: Routlodgo, ;8, and Toiiy Eagloton, Criticism and Ideology (London: Voiso, ;8.
Foi iolatod discussions, soo Honii Aivon, Marxist Esthetics, tians. Holon R. Lano, intio.
Fiodiic Janoson (Ithaca: Coinoll Univoisity Pioss, ;, Marxism and Art: Essays Clas-
sic and Contemporary, soloctod and with histoiical and ciitical connontaiy ly Maynaid
Solonon (Now Yoik: Knopl, ;, and Thoodoi Adoino, Waltoi Bonanin, Einst Bloch,
Boitolt Biocht, and Gooig Lukacs, Aesthetics and Politics, altoiwoid ly Fiodiic Janoson,
tians. Ronald Tayloi (London: Voiso, 8o, as woll as tho ossays in David Ciaig, od.,
Marxists on Literature: An Anthology (Now Yoik: Ponguin, ;.
q Fiiodiich Engols, Lottoi to Minna Kautsky, in Ciaig, Marxists on Literature, zo8. Soo
also chaps. 8, (Maixs and Engolss lottois to Lasallo, and (Engolss lottoi to Maigaiot
Haiknoss, all iopiintod lion Kail Maix and Fiiodiich Engols, Selected Correspondence
(Moscow: n.p., n.d..
Engols, Lottoi to Maigaiot Haiknoss, in Ciaig, Marxists on Literature, z;o.
o David Ciaig, intioduction to Ciaig, Marxists on Literature, zz.
T
s
e
n
g

2
0
0
2
.
6
.
2
7

0
7
:
5
3


6
6
7
2

T
H
E
S
O
U
T
H
A
T
L
A
N
T
I
C
Q
U
A
R
T
E
R
L
Y
/
1
0
1
:
1

/

s
h
e
e
t
1
8
9
o
f
2
4
9
186 Rey Chow
; Pioiio Machoioys discussion ol Lonins ioading ol Loo Tolstoy (and tho quostion ol io-
oction in Tolstoys woiks ionains ono ol tho nost illuninating accounts in this iogaid.
Soo Machoioy, Theory of Literary Production, o, zz.
8 Soo John Bondoi and David E. Wollloiy, Rhotoiicality: On tho Modoinist Rotuin ol Rho-
toiic, in The Ends of Rhetoric: History, Theory, Practice, od. John Bondoi and David E. Woll-
loiy (Stanloid, Calil.: Stanloid Univoisity Pioss, o, . Tho authois soo nodoinist
ihotoiicality, with its onphasis on tho gioundlossnoss ol tiuth, as a logacy ol Fiiodiich
Niotzscho.
Paul do Man, Foin and Intont in tho Anoiican Now Ciiticisn, Tho Rhotoiic ol Ton-
poiality, and Tho Doad-End ol Foinalist Ciiticisn, in Blindness and Insight: Essays in the
Rhetoric of Contemporary Criticism, zd od., iov., intio. Wlad Godzich (Minnoapolis: Uni-
voisity ol Minnosota Pioss, 8, zo, 8;zz8, zzq. Tho quotation is on p. .
o Eiich Auoilach, Mimesis: The Representation of Reality in Western Literature, tians.
Willaid R. Tiask (Piincoton, N.J.: Piincoton Univoisity Pioss, . Soo ospocially his poi-
coptivo discussion ol Viiginia Wooll, in whoso woik, as ho notos, oxtoinal ovonts olton
havo only tho vaguost contouis whilo tho iich and sonsitivoly iogistoiod intoinal tino ol
tho chaiactois has lod to tho aldication ol authoiial oloctivity and hogonony.
Ilid., z.
z Goo Bonnington, Donanding Histoiy, in Post-structuralismand the Question of History,
od. Doiok Attiidgo, Goo Bonnington, and Roloit Young (NowYoik: Canliidgo Univoi-
sity Pioss, 8;, ;.
Maiian Holson, Histoiy Tiacos, in Attiidgo, Bonnington, and Young, Post-structuralism
and the Question of History, oz.
q I discuss this in gioatoi dotail in Tho Sociots ol Ethnic Aloction, in Traces z (zoo:
;;. A low passagos lion that ossay havo loon incoipoiatod with nodications into tho
piosont ono.
Foi a succinct ciitiquo ol tho contiadictions that acconpany poststiuctuialist thooiy and
that havo had a piolound inpact on tho nulticultuialist tionds in tho hunanitios, soo
Masao Miyoshi, Ivoiy Towoi in Esciow, boundary z;. ( zooo, in paiticulai o.
o Johannos Falian, Time and the Other: How Anthropology Makes Its Object (Now Yoik:
Colunlia Univoisity Pioss, 8, , onphasis in tho oiiginal.
; Cailos J. Alonso, The Burden of Modernity: The Rhetoric of Cultural Discourse in Spanish
America (Now Yoik: Oxloid Univoisity Pioss, 8, ;.
8 Ilid., 8, onphasis in tho oiiginal.
Falian, Time and the Other, x. In Miyoshis toins, this would noan iostoiing tho hithoito
discioditodlunctionol so-callodnotanaiiativos: Tho acadonics woik inthis naikotizod
woild . . . is to loain and watch piollons in as nany sitos as thoy can koop tiack ol, not
in any spocic aioas, nations, iacos, agos, gondois, oi cultuios, lut in all aioas, nations,
iacos, agos, gondois, and cultuios. In othoi woids, lai lion alandoning tho nastoi nai-
iativos, tho ciitics and scholais in tho hunanitios nust iostoio tho pullic iigoi ol tho
notanaiiativos (Ivoiy Towoi in Esciow, q.
T
s
e
n
g

2
0
0
2
.
6
.
2
7

0
7
:
5
3


6
6
7
2

T
H
E
S
O
U
T
H
A
T
L
A
N
T
I
C
Q
U
A
R
T
E
R
L
Y
/
1
0
1
:
1

/

s
h
e
e
t
1
9
0
o
f
2
4
9