On Populist ReasonA philosophical and political exploration of the construction of popular identities In this highly original and influential work, Ernesto Laclau focuses on the construction of popular identities and how “the people” emerge as a collective actor. Skilfully combining theoretical analysis with a myriad of empirical references from numerous historical and geographical contexts, he offers a critical reading of the existing literature on populism, demonstrating its dependency on the theorists of “mass psychology,” such as Taine and Freud. On Populist Reason is essential reading for all those interested in the question of political identities in the present day. |
Contents
Suggestion Imitation Identification | |
The People and the Discursive Production of Emptiness | |
Floating Signifiers and Social Heterogeneity | |
Populism Representation and Democracy | |
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Common terms and phrases
alternative analysis antagonism antagonistic approach articulation asserts becomes capitalist cathected central Chantal Mouffe Chartist conceived conceptual constitution construction crowd crowd psychology democracy democratic demands differential dimension discourse discussion distinction ego ideal elements emergence empty signifier equivalence equivalential chain equivalential logics Ernesto Laclau established ethnic forces Freud frontier function Ginneken hegemonic heterogeneity homogeneous Ibid identification ideological individual internal involves Jacques Rancière kind Lacanian leader Lega Nord limits lumpenproletariat Margaret Canovan Marx mass means movement notion objet petit ontic ontological operation organized overdetermination partial object particular Party People’s Perón Peronist plebs plurality political popular identities populism populist possible presupposes proletariat psychology purely question radical Rancière regime relation representation represented result revolution rhetoric role sense situation Slavoj Žižek social demands society structure struggle symbolic Tarde terrain theoretical theory totality tradition unity universal vis-à-vis whole Žižek