Philosophy & Rhetoric Nov 2015

When the Call Is Not Meant for You: Misinterpellation, Subjectivity, and the Law

James R. Martel

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this article, I argue that Althusser's theory of interpellation suggests, however obliquely, a way to subvert and ruin the formation of subjectivity under liberal capitalism. For Althusser, when the law calls the subject, “nine times out of ten” the person called is “really” the one that the law intended. This article asks about the one in ten who is not the one whom the law wanted but who answers the call anyway. This is what I am calling the misinterpellated subject. I argue that this subject, because she or he is unwanted and unexpected, rhetorically ruins the scene of interpellation, offering a potentially radical source of resistance to liberal capitalism. Looking at Althusser's work on interpellation along with critics like Judith Butler and Lauren Berlant, I seek to show how the occasional flaws in interpellation (the one in ten) can be expanded by developing an anarchist politics as well as anarchist forms of subjectivity.

Journal
Philosophy & Rhetoric
Published
2015-11-23
DOI
10.5325/philrhet.48.4.0494
Open Access
Closed
Topics
multilingual writers

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (0)

No articles in this index cite this work.

Cites in this index (0)

No references match articles in this index.

Also cites 5 works outside this index ↓
  1. Berlant, Lauren. 2011. Cruel Optimism. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.
     ↗
  2. Butler, Judith. 1997. The Psychic Life of Power: Theories in Subjection. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
     ↗
  3. Ferguson, Michaele. 2012. Sharing Democracy. New York: Oxford University Press.
     ↗
  4. Kohn, Margaret, and Keally McBride. 2011. Political Theories of Decolonization: Postcolonialism and the Probl…
     ↗
  5. Martel, James. 2014. The One and Only Law: Walter Benjamin and the Second Commandment. Ann Arbor: University …
     ↗
CrossRef global citation count: 3 View in citation network →

Related Articles

  1. Computers and Composition Jun 2026
    “Article laundry” or “tutor in pocket?”: Multilingual writers’ generative AI-assisted writing in professional settings ↗
    Qianqian Zhang-Wu
    artificial intelligence multilingual writers
  2. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Apr 2026
    What Video Games Can Tell Us About Interactive Technical Communication ↗
    Emily Kuzneski Johnson
    multimodality technical communication multilingual writers
  3. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Apr 2026
    “Is This Ethical?” New Data on the Ethical Principles and Practices of Document Design ↗
    Leslie Seawright; Amy Hodges; Timothy Ponce
    multimodality technical communication disability studies multilingual writers
  4. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Apr 2026
    How to Write With GenAI: A Framework for Using Generative AI to Automate Writing Tasks in Technical Communication ↗
    Guiseppe Getto; Susan Kelley; Bremen Vance
    artificial intelligence technical communication multilingual writers
  5. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Mar 2026
    “It's Hard to Show ROI When You’re Preventing Things from Happening”: How Impact Storytelling Frames Community Health Initiatives for Executive Audiences ↗
    Margaret Hsiao
    qualitative research multimodality technical communication professional writing multilingual writers