Interpellation is a concept first coined by Marxist philosopher Louis Althusser to describe the process by which ideology addresses the individual subject, thus effectively producing him as an effect. Henceforth, in agreement with Michel Foucault's theories, Althusser goes against the classical definition of the subject as cause and substance: in other words, the situation always precede the (individual or collective) subject. Interpellation specifically involves the moment and process of recognition of interaction with the ideology at hand.

Interpellation, a concept coined by Althusser

When Althusser thought the concept of interpellation, in Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses, the marxist philosopher was referring to the police act of interpelling someone: "Hey you!", and the subsequent turning backward of the guilty subject. Althusser thus pointed out the essential relationship between guilt and subjectivity, as Nietzsche had done in his On the Genealogy of Morals. As in Foucault's philosophy, the subject is not preexistent to its constitution by power or ideology.

When the individual recognizes the system that he or she is working within, such as the creation of gender while clothing shopping or cross dressing, she/he interpellates him/herself.

Interpellation in the context of social science

In the context of Social Science to Interpellate is to identify with a particular idea or identity. For example, if someone were to shout your name at you in the street, you would interpellate that salutation to mean yourself. It is basically thinking 'that means me'. It is the process by which you recognise yourself to belong to a particular identity. One may note that it is exactly Althusser's meaning, isolated from his critical theory on Ideological State Apparatuses.

Interpellation as a right of parliament

The word Interpellation is also used to refer to the formal right of a parliament to submit formal questions to the government. In many parliaments, each individual member of parliament has the right to formally submit questions (possibly a limited amount during a certain period of time) to a member of government. The respective minister or secretary is then required to respond and to justify government policy. Interpellation thus allows the parliament to supervise the government's activity. In this sense, it is closer to a motion of censure.

References

• Louis Althusser, Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses (I.S.A.) published in English in Lenin and Philosophy and Other Essays, available online here

See also

• Louis Althusser
• Judith Butler
• Slavoj Zizek
• Question time
• Prime Minister's Questions
• Subjectivation (a concept forged by Foucault)

Philosophical concepts | Marxist theory | Political philosophy

Interpellation | Interpellation