Ernesto Laclau

The graduate programme in Ideology and Discourse Analysis at the University of Essex was founded and directed by Ernesto Laclau, an Argentine political theorist whose work redefined the study of discourse. His career spanned decades of academic inquiry, navigating the complex intersection of philosophy, sociology, and political theory across universities in North America, South America, and Europe.

Academic Formation and Early Influences

Born in Buenos Aires in 1935, Laclau completed his initial studies in history at the Facultad de Filosofía y Letras de la Universidad de Buenos Aires, graduating in 1964. He maintained early political affiliations with the Socialist Party of the National Left. Following the support of Eric Hobsbawm, he conducted research at St Antony's College, Oxford, between 1969 and 1972. He eventually earned his PhD from the University of Essex in 1977. Throughout this period, his intellectual development was shaped by early engagement with Althusserian Marxism and debates concerning the dynamics of capitalism and the state.

Post-Marxist Theory

In 1985, Laclau co-authored Hegemony and Socialist Strategy with Chantal Mouffe, a work that serves as a cornerstone of post-Marxist political thought. The text rejects traditional Marxist economic determinism and the singular focus on class struggle as the primary societal antagonism. Instead, the authors argued for the construction of a 'radical and plural democracy,' emphasizing the necessity for left-wing movements to forge diverse alliances to establish hegemony. This perspective posits that social entities acquire meaning through relational discursive articulation, rejecting the notion of pre-given or innate meanings.

Discourse, Populism, and Late Work

Laclau extended his discourse analysis to the nature of identity, suggesting that even experiences perceived as natural are socially constructed. His later research focused on populism, notably in his book On Populist Reason, where he argued that populist movements utilize 'empty signifiers' to structure political environments. He contended that populism constitutes an essential component of democracy rather than a threat. At the time of his death in Seville in 2014, he was writing Elusive Universality, an attempt to resolve the tensions between universalism and the specific demands of subaltern groups.

Collaborative Dialogue

Laclau’s career was marked by significant intellectual exchange, particularly with Slavoj Žižek and Judith Butler. His relationship with Žižek began by 1989, when Laclau provided the introduction to Žižek’s first English-language book. This dialogue facilitated Laclau's integration of Lacanian psychoanalytic concepts into his discourse theory. The collaborative dynamic was further exemplified in the 2000 publication Contingency, Hegemony, Universality, where Laclau, Žižek, and Butler engaged in a cycle of critical responses regarding their respective theoretical projects.

Fast facts

• Born: 1935, Buenos Aires
• Died: 2014, Seville
• PhD: University of Essex, 1977
• Field: Political Philosophy
• Key Publication: Hegemony and Socialist Strategy
• Significant Collaborator: Chantal Mouffe
• Academic Base: University of Essex
• Citizenship: Argentina

Questions readers ask

What is the Essex School of discourse analysis?

It is an analytical orientation founded by Laclau that utilizes post-structuralist theory, post-analytic thought, and psychoanalysis to examine political phenomena like discourse and hegemony.

How did Laclau define populism?

He defined it as a political mechanism reliant on the creation of 'empty signifiers' that structure political space and express universal demands, arguing it is essential to democratic function.

Achievements

• Held posts at University of Essex and University of Buenos Aires
• Fields: philosophy, political philosophy and political theory