This paper re-evaluates fanaticism as a distinct logic of political articulation within post-foundational political thought. Often dismissed as irrational zeal and overlooked in political theory compared to populism, fanaticism is here defined through its differentiation from populism. Both share an antagonistic understanding of the political, but differ significantly: while populism risks losing concrete content in its pursuit of hegemony, fanaticism centres a pure, concrete signifier, sustaine…
Read moreThis paper re-evaluates fanaticism as a distinct logic of political articulation within post-foundational political thought. Often dismissed as irrational zeal and overlooked in political theory compared to populism, fanaticism is here defined through its differentiation from populism. Both share an antagonistic understanding of the political, but differ significantly: while populism risks losing concrete content in its pursuit of hegemony, fanaticism centres a pure, concrete signifier, sustained by radical commitment and immediate utopian aims. This distinction avoids what Ernesto Laclau terms the ‘dangerous victory’. The paper proposes a concept of fanaticism that is operationalisable for empirical research, applicable not only to historical contexts but also to contemporary radical social movements, such as The Last Generation (Die Letzte Generation). This approach refrains from confining such movements to specific ideological or cultural content, providing a framework for analysing their organizational structures and mobilisation strategies.
