On The Political Implications Of Lacanian Theory: A Reply To Homer

Writing this article was stimulated by the argumentation put forward by Sean Homer in Issue 7 of The Letter[1] concerning the political implications of Lacanian theory. As I understand it Homer's argument presupposes the distinction between political theory and political praxis or politics, a distinction which I will not question but instead will take as granted. What I will also take as granted, and here I am in full agreement with Homer, is that the interventions in political theory that are inspired by Lacanian psychoanalysis - and, together with Homer, I am mainly referring to Zizek and Laclau - have introduced a series of innovative and extremely productive, if not groundbreaking, insights that are beginning to change the nature of our theoretical terrain.…