Department of Philosophy

ONLINE SEMINAR

Felix Yeung
The University of Hong Kong

Psychoanalyzing Democracies: Antagonisms, Paranoia and the Productivity of Depression

Zoom link: https://hku.zoom.us/j/6733964050

Abstract
Chantal Mouffe’s recent writings call for ‘agonistic democracies’ and ‘left populisms’ to counteract the failure of mainstream liberal politics in dealing with antipathic political passions. In this paper, I argue with the meta-psychological theories of Sigmund Freud and Jacques Lacan that the strongest positive support for Mouffe’s arguments against liberal political theories is psychoanalysis. From the psychoanalytic point of view, the reason why political antagonisms are so hard to resolve is because they are not based solely on ‘real’ features of the political landscape, but differences exaggerated by paranoid phantasies that idealize the in-group and demonize others. Drawing upon the analytic insights of Melanie Klein, I propose that paranoid phantasies can be ameliorated if people can be brought to face despair and mourn the loss of ideals in a ‘democratic work of mourning.’ The work of mourning, by bringing citizens to adequately own up to their losses, may in the long run provide a realistic sense of possibility, generate a greater resilience to anxieties, and produce greater toleration of differences in the citizenry. These psychological accomplishments may prove indispensable in helping to stabilize democracies amidst the challenges of anti-democratic populisms.

Thursday
3 December, 2020
4:00-5:45 pm

For inquiries:
Amit Chaturvedi
amitc@hku.hk