The Charmed Circle of Ideology: A Critique of Laclau and Mouffe, Butler and Žižek (Anamnesis)

Set against the collapse of social theory into a theory of ideological discourse, Geoff Boucher sets to work a rigorous mapping of the contemporary field, targeting the relativist implications of this new form of philosophical idealism. Offering a detailed and immanent critique Boucher concentrates his critical attention on the 'postmarxism' of Laclau and Mouffe, Butler and Žižek. Combining close reading and careful exposition with polemical intent, Boucher links the relativism exemplified in these contemporary theoretical trends to unresolved philosophical problems of modernity. In conclusion Boucher points to 'intersubjectivity' as an exit from postmarxist theory's charmed circle of ideology. Copyright Information......Page 0 Front Cover......Page 1 Half Title Page......Page 2 Series Page......Page 3 Title Page......Page 4 Imprint Page......Page 5 Dedication......Page 6 Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 10 Introduction: Critically Mapping the Postmarxian Field......Page 12 1 - New Times: The Emergence of Postmarxism......Page 30 2 - Crop Circles in the Postmarxian Field: Laclau and Mouffe......Page 88 3 - The Politics of Performativity: A Critique of Judith Butler......Page 138 4 - Radical Negativity: Žižek’s Lacanian Dialectics......Page 176 Conclusion: Theories of Structuration, Theories of Ideology......Page 242 Bibliography......Page 250 Index of Proper Names......Page 284 Back Cover......Page 288 Set against the collapse of social theory into a theory of ideological discourse, Geoff Boucher sets to work a rigorous mapping of the contemporary field, targeting the relativist implications of this new form of philosophical idealism. Offering a detailed and immanent critique, Boucher concentrates his critical attention on the 'postmarxism' of Laclau and Mouffe, Butler and Z iz ek. In response Boucher points to 'intersubjectivity' as an exit from postmarxist theory's charmed circle of ideology. Introduction: Critically Mapping the Postmarxian Field; 1 New Times: The Emergence of Postmarxism; 2 Crop Circles in the Postmarxian Field: Laclau and Mouffe; 3 The Politics of Performativity: A Critique of Judith Butler; 4 Radical Negativity: Z iz ek's Lacanian Dialectics; Conclusion: Theories of Structuration, Theories of Ideology; Bibliography; Index of Proper Names; Back Cover.