Objects of history / Objects of ideology

Abstract

In this article I present some preliminary thoughts on what lessons might be learned from modern developments in critical thought if one wants to take up once again Michel Foucault’s project. I start out by discussing a few elements in Slavoj Žižek’s critique of ideology as well his critique of Foucault, and then go on to discuss Agamben and later Derrida, both in relation to Foucault, in order to articulate what I see as some of the most poignant elements of Foucault’s archeological method. Throughout the article I try to introduce to the archeological method what I call ‘split objects’. Even though I will not claim it is unproblematic to bring Žižek, Foucault, and Agamben together, I nevertheless see some affinities, and what I suggest is reading them in such a way that they can work as productive discussants of each other in order to revitalize an archeological critique of ideology.