Making space for heterologies: de Certeau's links with post‐colonial criticisms

Abstract

Abstract This paper explores some central premises of Michel de Certeau's work, in particular Western imperialist historiography—the writing that not only conquers but also results in the scriptural occultation of its other. It traces de Certeau's discussion of the discursive formation of this writing, but only, like de Certeau, to demonstrate how unstable such a formation is, despite its supposition to the contrary. In other words, the occulted other, dominated but not vanquished, returns in the repressed of such writing. Finally, through a discussion of de Certeau's notions of ‘place’ /'space’, and ‘strategy’ /'tactics’, I hope to make some connections between de Certeau's work and post‐colonial criticisms.