Neglected times: Laclau, affect, and temporality

Abstract

ABSTRACT That populism is ubiquitous in both politics and political debate is an established argument. Its ever-increasing popularity as an object of academic research is no secret either. And yet, what makes populist politics so popular? How is ‘take back control’ such a contested slogan and yet so powerful and resonant? Building on recent work in International Relations (IR) Theory, this article offers a critical reading of Ernesto Laclau’s theorization of populism that foregrounds affect and temporality – two aspects he falls short of properly unpacking. As a result, the article accounts for the emotional resonance (and political success) of populist subjects and clarifies the process of antagonization separating ‘the People’ from its political rivals. After briefly sketching the contours of Laclau’s theory and explain the role affect plays in it, the article advances a theorization of affect as economic that complements Laclau’s account of the ‘form’ of affect, with one of its ‘force’. Second, the article turns to ‘timing theory’ to shed light on ‘the People’s’ complicity in the social construction of time, thereby explaining both its emotional appeal and its antagonism. These theoretical propositions are illustrated through the example of Berlusconi’s first government.