Abstract

COSIC, Nicolás. E. P. Thompson Althusserian? Elements to Radicalize the Sewell Thesis Around the Contradictions between Historiographical Theory and Practice In the Work of the British Historian. Hist. graf [online]. 2023, n.60, pp.221-264.  Epub Feb 13, 2023. ISSN 1405-0927.  https://doi.org/10.48102/hyg.vi60.444.

This paper aims to show that William H. Skewell Jr.’s hypothesis, according to which in the work of Edward P. Thompson there is to be found a glaring contradiction between theory of history and historiographical practice, can be extended to different dimensions of inquiry not taken into account by the author, particularly on the epistemological and methodological levels. Hence, our approach consists of “radicalizing” Sewell’s thesis, to the point of asking ourselves whether the contradiction found implies the existence of a confluence between Thompson and his theoretical and political opponent, Louis Althusser, which would even extend into their respective notions of the subject.

Keywords : theory of history; historiographic practice; E. P. Thompson; Louis Althusser.