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Zizek and the Rhetorical Unconscious

Global Politics, Philosophy, and Subjectivity

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  • © 2020

Overview

Authors:
  1. Robert Samuels

    1. Writing Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, Goleta, USA

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  • Intelligently critiques Slavoj Zizek's work
  • Outlines a theory of psychoanalytic rhetoric
  • Comments on current politics through the lens of psychoanalysis

  • 1764 Accesses

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Table of contents (6 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-v
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Introduction

    • Robert Samuels
    Pages 1-5

  3. Catharsis: The Politics of Enjoyment

    • Robert Samuels
    Pages 7-31

  4. Pathos, Hysteria, and the Left

    • Robert Samuels
    Pages 33-47

  5. Ethos, Transference, and Liberal Cynicism

    • Robert Samuels
    Pages 49-63

  6. Logos, Global Justice, and the Reality Principle

    • Robert Samuels
    Pages 65-86

  7. Conclusion: Communism or Commonism?

    • Robert Samuels
    Pages 87-92

  8. Back Matter

    Pages 93-99
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Keywords

About this book

This book builds on a critique of Slavoj Zizek’s work to outline a new theory of psychoanalytic rhetoric. It turns to Zizek because not only is he one of the most popular intellectuals in the world, but, this book argues, his discourse is shaped by a set of unconscious rhetorical processes that also determine much of contemporary politics, culture, and subjectivity. Just as Aristotle argued that the three main forms of persuasion are logos (reason), pathos (emotion), and ethos (authority), Samuels describes each one of these aspects of communication as related to a fundamental psychoanalytic concept. He also turns to Aristotle’s work on theater to introduce a fourth form of rhetoric, catharsis, which is the purging of feelings of fear and pity. 


Adding a strong voice to current psychoanalytic debate, this book will be of value to all scholars and students interested in both the history and modern developments of psychoanalytic theory. 

Authors and Affiliations

  • Writing Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, Goleta, USA

    Robert Samuels

About the author

Robert Samuels has doctorates in Psychoanalysis and English. He teaches advanced writing and rhetoric at the University of California, Santa Barbara, USA. He is the author of fifteen books, including Freud for the Twenty-First Century.



Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Zizek and the Rhetorical Unconscious

  • Book Subtitle: Global Politics, Philosophy, and Subjectivity

  • Authors: Robert Samuels

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50910-1

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham

  • eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and Psychology, Behavioral Science and Psychology (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-50909-5Published: 07 August 2020

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-50910-1Published: 06 August 2020

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: V, 99

  • Topics: Critical Psychology, Psychoanalysis, Cultural Theory

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