Ernesto LaclauThinkers

An Antagonism (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a 'natural' relation of subordination articulated as socially constructed relations of oppression and domination.

An Antagonism (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a difference, a limit, in a hegemonic discourse that must be articulated as an antagonism by groups in order to subvert or disarticulate the hegemonic discourse.

Antagonism (n.) functions ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠in place of contradiction in classical marxism which implies a clash between the essential interests of two ontologically fundamental classes.

Antagonism (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the negation of a given order, which is, quite simply, the limit of that order.

Articulation (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠(pace marxist theory) no longer simply a way of explaining contingency within historical necessity, but a way of understanding social struggle in a postmodern world.

Articulation (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a means to understanding the struggle to fix meaning and define reality in a world without foundations, without a transcendental signified.

Articulation (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a non-necessary linking of elements into a temporary unity that is contingent and particular and is the result of a political and historical struggle.

Articulation (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a practice concerned with speaking forth elements on the one hand, and linking elements on the other whereby the very act of linking (pre-existing) elements in a particular discourse modifies their character and makes them as it were, spoken anew.

Articulation (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a practice which consist in the construction of nodal points which partially fix meaning. The partial character of this fixation proceeds from the openness of the social, a result, in its turn, of the constant overflowing of every discourse by the infinitude of the field of discursivity.

Articulation (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠any practice establishing a relation among elements such that their identity is modified.

Articulation (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠concerned with how 'elements' preexist articulation as floating signifiers such that the act of linking them in a particular discourse modifies their character and makes them as it were, spoken anew.

Articulation (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠concerned with how an element is not a fixed identity and does not have an essential meaning.

Articulation (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠concerned with how bringing elements into a discourse is to fix meaning and context within the field of discursivity, to dominate the field of discursivity, to arrest the flow of differences, to construct a centre.

Articulation (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠concerned, for example, with how the struggle of new social moments -- which seek to rearticulate 'nature,' 'black,' 'woman,' 'progress' - can testify to the opening of reality as a site of struggle.

A Discourse (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a structural totality of differences. Discourse is not a practice but the result of a practice.

Discourse (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠material and includes within itself the linguistic and the nonlinguistic.

Discourse (n.) points ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠beyond language to suggest that every social configuration is meaningful, and in our interchange with the world, objects are never given to us as mere existential entities... they are always given to us within discursive articulations.