Abstract

The article looks at Žižek’s understanding of subjectivity in relation to the process of subjectivation. It begins by outlining the impact of Hegel and Lacan on Žižek’s formulation of the subject, and then reflects on the political strategies that might emerge from such formulation. The second part considers how Žižek’s take on the notion of subtraction activates the transformative capacity of the subject, while in turn intersecting with the transformative potential of the social. To substantiate the relevance and topicality of Žižek’s approach, the final section of the article uses the category of subtraction to propose a reading of the current economic crisis.