Article published In:
Journal of Language and Politics: Online-First Articles

Studying affect through discourse theory

Towards a methodology of practice

ORCID logo | Cardiff University
ORCID logo | Université de Namur
This article presents a methodological argument for examining the affective dimensions of political identity formation, with a pivotal focus on the role of practice. Grounded in a psychoanalytically inspired discourse theory framework, it advocates for expanding research beyond textual sources to investigate the affective investment inherent in political engagement and the process of collective identity formation. Through an examination of two empirical case studies — the Just Stop Oil movement in the United Kingdom and the ascent of Javier Milei in Argentinean politics — the article proposes four principles to study the articulation of political identities through practice: Signifiers are not just words; beyond counting words; policy is central, and fantasy is a cipher. By underscoring fantasy as a critical dimension in identity formation and, suggesting that, by transcending the conventional Schmittian friend/enemy divide, novel avenues for analysing collective identities will surface.
Keywords: discourse theory, affect, practice, fantasy, transgression, Just Stop Oil, Milei
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Studying discourse as text
  • 3.Studying affect as discourse
  • 4.Towards an affective methodology
    • 4.1Signifiers are not just words
    • 4.2Beyond counting words
    • 4.3Policy is central
    • 4.4Fantasy as a cipher
  • 5.Just Stop Oil
    • 5.1Signifiers are not just words
    • 5.2Beyond counting words
    • 5.3Policy is central
    • 5.4Fantasy as a cipher
  • 6.Javier Milei
    • 6.1Signifiers are not just words
    • 6.2Beyond counting words
    • 6.3Policy is central
    • 6.4Fantasy as a cipher
  • 7.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • Bibliography
Published online: 6 January 2025
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https://doi.org/10.1075/jlp.24197.ekl
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