I have just stumbled across an interesting entry in the Penguin Dictionary of Critical Theory, it seems to be pretty relevant to our project:
"
Interpellation
In Althussers's theory of ideology, interpellation is the mechanism which produces subjects in such a way that they recognise their own existence in terms of the dominant ideology of the society in which they live (1970). The French interpellation is commonly used to mean 'being taken by the police for questioning'; it also means the 'questioning' of a minister in parliament. Althusser's basic illustration of the mechanism exploits this sense of 'questioning' or 'hailing'. An inidividual walking down the street is hailed by a police officer-'Hey, you there!'-and turns round to recognize the fact that he is being addressed. In doing so that individual is constituted as a subject. According to Althusser, the idea o interpellation demonstrates that subjects are always and already the products of ideology, and thus subverts the idealist thesis that subjectivity is primary or self-founding.
A similar notion of interpellation can be found in Vaneigem's contribution to the theory of Situationism (1967). Confronted by the flow of signs and images that constitute Debord's 'society of the spectacle', individuals are constantly interpellated by posters, advertisements and stereotypes offering universal images in which they are invited to recognise themselves. The function of interpellation is to block spontaneous creativity.
Whether or not there is any direct connection between the two notions of interpellation remains unclear.
"
This is interesting. It does sound like it works with our project, because we're drawing attention to the invisible flows and mechanisms around us. In this society we are so often told that we're to 'be ourselves' and to 'create our own identity' through 'self expression', and this idea turns it on its head to suggest that, in truth, we're not being as creative as we think we are. If this definition holds any significance, which I think we all agree that it does to an extent (what with the invisible and all), then we could definitely apply it/make use of it in some sort of way.
ReplyDelete