File spoon-archives/marxism.archive/marxism_1994/94-08-17.000, message 136


Date: Fri, 12 Aug 1994 15:17:40 EST
From: Pete Bratsis <aki-AT-cunyvms1.gc.cuny.edu>
Subject: Lacan and Althusser



Jon,

I am puzzeled by your aversion to Lacan's influence on Althusser.  
On the one hand you seem quite fond of Althusser's notion of interpellation
but think that Althusser's work should be purged of Lacanian influences.  
Is not Althusser's notion of interpellation grounded upon Lacan's views on 
language and the subject?  The 'self' recongizes itself in an utterance
and takes on that identity and subjectivity, you recongize yourself 
in the populist political retoric of 'the people' or 'fellow Americans' 
in opposition to the elitist/paracitic  or foreign 'other' and take on 
that identity and at least parts of the subjectivity that 'Americans', 
'Workers',  'Professors', etc are supposed to embody.  Furthermore, 
is not the notion of overdetermination itself directly appropiated from 
psycho-analysis.  If we purge Althusser of Lacanian and psycho-analytic 
influences, what are we left with?

Peter Bratsis
CUNY Grad. Center



     ------------------

   

Driftline Main Page

 

Display software: ArchTracker © Malgosia Askanas, 2000-2005