A Lacanian Conception of Populism: Society Does Not Exist

Populism is different from hegemony, as it eviscerates the social totality and replaces it with an dispersion of singular instances of 'the people'. This book explores the work of Laclau, Badiou, Žižek and Rancière to develop a novel conceptualization of 'the populism of singularities' and its implications for contemporary political theory. It is a must-read for academics and scholars in political theory, political philosophy, post-Marxist thought, discourse theory, and psychoanalysis.

Format: Hardback
Length: 112 pages
Publication date: 01 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

A Lacanian Conception of Populism challenges traditional theories of populism, which equate populism with hegemony, by arguing that these are not only different but also incompatible logics. Timothy Appleton emphasizes that one of the primary distinctions between populism and hegemony lies in their respective approaches to the social totality. While hegemony absolutizes it, populism eviscerates it, replacing it with an (apparently paradoxical) dispersion of singular instances of 'the people.' The book delves into the works of Laclau, Badiou, Žižek, and Rancière, before proposing a novel conceptualization called 'the populism of singularities.'

In the second half of the book, the author explores the implications of this concept for contemporary political theory, covering topics such as the definition of 'left and 'right,' popular enthusiasm and affect, 'truth versus 'post-truth,' leadership, populism and nationalism, and the relationship between populism and political parties.

A Lacanian Conception of Populism is a valuable resource for academics and scholars in the fields of political theory, political philosophy, post-Marxist thought, discourse theory, and psychoanalysis. It will also be of interest to those engaged in the study of populism, cultural studies, gender studies, and queer theory.

Weight: 370g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032557205