Specters of Marx (Routledge Classics)

by Jacques Derrida
Specters of Marx (Routledge Classics)  
published 2006 by Routledge
binding Paperback
isbn 0415389577   (isbn13: 9780415389570)
pages 258
description

Written in the aftermath of the fall of the Berlin Wall and within the context of a critique of a "new world order" that proclaims the death of Marx and Marxism, Jacques Derrida undertakes a reading of Marx's "spectropoetics" -- his obsession with ghosts, specters and spirits. Derrida argues that there is more than one spirit of Marx and that it is the responsibility of his heirs -- we are all heirs of Marx -- to sift through the possible legacies, the possible spirits, reaffirming one and not the other. He leads beyond the deafening disavowal of Marx today, a disavowal he sees as an attempt to exorcise Marx's ghost.
Specters of Marx represents renowned philosopher Jacques Derrida's first major work on Marx and his definitive entry into social and political philosophy.

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date added
02-08-07



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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 139)



Erin
Erin rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
03/22/08

bookshelves: philosophy
Read in March, 2008
My initial review was succinct, and to the untrained ear, somewhat obscene. This book impressed me greatly, and I'd love to hear the lectures from which it was transcribed someday.

It's no secret that Derrida indulges a tendency to ramble. Specters of Marx is full of really interesting ideas about the evolution of Marxist theory from it's conception to the print date of this book. Especially when the author confronts those situations where men have diverged from the spirit of Marxism even whi...more
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Jordan
Jordan rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
07/21/07

bookshelves: social-criticism, theory
Read in July, 2007
There's some really valuable stuff in this book - Derrida's core thesis about Marx's rhetoric, his "specters," is compelling, and his succinct takedown of Fukuyama is excellent. But the book is unfocused, and not productively so.
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briantology
briantology rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
04/25/07

There are a ton of useful lines of thought floating about in "Specters". And like Foucault, the explicit politicization of his later work is invigorating. But I officially lost my tolerance for Derrida's tangents with this book.
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Tony
Tony rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
11/13/07

bookshelves: philosophy---religion
Best Derrida volume I've read so far. It made me go back and read Hamlet (for possibly the 10th time) and not a small bit of Marx as well, before I felt ready to really sink my teeth into it.
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Joaquin
Joaquin rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
01/24/08

This is basically the pinnacle of human cultural achievement. Sometimes I cry when I read it, not just from the beauty of the writing, but from the beauty of the invective.
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Jason
12/28/07

bookshelves: methodology
Read in October, 2004
recommends it for: people who are extra smart
I like reading people's reviews about this book. Especially the people who think it's about Marx and don't get that it's about methodology.

I love you, Derrida.
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Sara
Sara is currently reading it
03/27/08

bookshelves: currently-reading, sort-of-read
Sorry goodreads world. I will be reading this book back and forth. Forever.



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+Aziz
03/17/07

Read in February, 2007
recommends it for: eeh-- Sabina?
Still figuring it out.
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Jessica
Jessica added it
01/07/08

Read in January, 2006
about ghosts.
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Jonathan
Jonathan rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
10/31/07

 

Moosje
Moosje rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
10/01/07

bookshelves: currently-reading
 

Adam Weber
Adam marked it as to-read
02/20/08

bookshelves: to-read
 

Vanna
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01/07/08

 

Karen
Karen rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
05/12/08

Read in May, 2008
 

Eric
Eric rated it: 2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars
10/07/07

 

Amanda
Amanda rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
12/18/07

bookshelves: critical-theory
 

Tina
Tina rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
04/15/07

 

Donna
Donna rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
02/05/08

 

Victoria
Victoria marked it as to-read
07/20/07

bookshelves: to-read
 

Ryan
Ryan rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
04/08/08

 


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book data (includes all editions)

avg rating (all editions): 4.01 (98 ratings)
avg rating (this edition): 3.98 (94 ratings)
number of reviews: 9






other editions

Specters of Marx: The State of the Debt, the Work of Mourning, and the New International (Paperback)
Spectres de Marx: L'état de la dette, le travail du deuil et la nouvelle Internationale (Collection La philosophie en effet)
Specters of Marx (5 wordy chapters)