[ecrea] Workshop: Discourse Theory and the ‘Essex School’

workshop
Discourse Theory and the ‘Essex School’
28.04.2016-28.04.2016
University of London Institute in Paris

Discourse Theory and the ‘Essex School’: Research Workshop

University of London Institute in Paris
and
TheoryLab
School of Politics and International Relations
Queen Mary, University of London

Thursday 28 April 2016

This one-day methods workshop for research students and early career 
researchers examines the discourse theory of the ‘Essex School’ as a 
method for political analysis. We read key texts by Ernesto Laclau and 
Chantal Mouffe and discuss the methodological implications of their 
theory of discourse and hegemony as well as the philosophical 
assumptions behind it.

The workshop consists of three two-hour sessions led by Dr Lasse 
Thomassen (Queen Mary, University of London). The three sessions are 
organised around key readings and key concepts, and there will also be 
time to discuss applications of the theory.

The first session goes back to Hegemony and Socialist Strategy in order 
to examine the key concepts of discourse, hegemony and antagonism. The 
second session introduces the notion of empty signifier and Laclau and 
Mouffe’s approach to populism. The final session starts from the concept 
of representation and locates discourse theory and radical democracy in 
debates about democracy. Each session will contain reflection on the key 
concepts as well as their application to political phenomena.

At the end of the workshop, the participants will have knowledge of the 
philosophical assumptions behind discourse theory, the implications of 
discourse theory for questions surrounding the use of methods in the 
humanities and social sciences, the politics of discourse theory and 
hegemony, and the use of discourse theory for concrete political analysis.

Some knowledge of discourse theory and post-structuralism will be 
assumed, and participants should be familiar with debates within 
contemporary political and social theory. An interest in theoretical 
questions and discussions will also be assumed. Participants are asked 
to do the set readings in advance of the workshop. A list of additional 
readings will be made available upon registration.

Lasse Thomassen is Senior Lecturer in the School of Politics & 
International Relations at Queen Mary, University of London. He works on 
Habermas, deconstruction, radical democracy and identity politics, and 
his publications include Radical Democracy: Politics between Abundance 
and Lack (Manchester UP, 2005), The Derrida-Habermas Reader (Edinburgh 
UP, 2006) and Deconstructing Habermas (Routledge, 2007).


Session 1: Discourse and hegemony

Set readings:
Laclau, E. and C. Mouffe, Hegemony and Socialist Strategy: Towards a 
Radical
Democratic Politics, 2nd ed. (London: Verso, 2001), pp. vii-xix, 1-5, 
105-14.
Laclau, E., ‘Discourse’, in R. E. Goodin and P. Pettit (eds), A 
Companion to
Contemporary Political Philosophy (Oxford: Blackwell, 1993), pp. 431-7. 
Also in D. Howarth (ed.), Ernesto Laclau: Post-Marxism, Populism and 
Critique (London: Routledge, 2015), chapter 1.

Session 2: Empty signifier and populism

Set readings:
Laclau, E., ‘Why do empty signifiers matter to politics?’, in 
Emancipation(s) (London:
Verso, 1996), chapter 3. Also in D. Howarth (ed.), Ernesto Laclau: 
Post-Marxism, Populism and Critique (London: Routledge, 2015), chapter 3.
Laclau, E., ‘Identity and Hegemony: The Role of Universality in the 
Constitution of Political Logics’, in J. Butler, E. Laclau and S. Žižek, 
Contingency, Hegemony, Universality: Contemporary Dialogues on the Left 
(London: Verso, 2000), pp. 44-89 at pp. 44-53.
Laclau, E., ‘Constructing Universality’, in J. Butler, E. Laclau and S. 
Žižek, Contingency, Hegemony, Universality: Contemporary Dialogues on 
the Left (London: Verso, 2000), pp. 281-307 at pp. 296-307.
Laclau, E., ‘Populism: What’s In a Name?’, in F. Panizza (ed.), Populism 
and the
Mirror of Democracy (London: Verso, 2005), chapter 1. Also in D. Howarth 
(ed.), Ernesto Laclau: Post-Marxism, Populism and Critique (London: 
Routledge, 2015), chapter 7.

Session 3: Representation and radical democracy

Set readings:
Laclau, E. and C. Mouffe, Hegemony and Socialist Strategy: Towards a 
Radical
Democratic Politics, 2nd ed. (London: Verso, 2001), pp. vii-xix.
Laclau, E., On Populist Reason (London: Verso, 2005), chapter 6.

Contact person: Lasse Thomassen
email: (l.thomassen /at/ qmul.ac.uk)
telephone: 00442078822848
Address: School of Politics & International Relations
Queen Mary, University of London
327 Mile End Road
London E14NS
United Kingdom
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