In this article I demonstrate that William Connolly's ‘ethos of pluralisation’ and Ernesto Laclau's theory of ‘hegemony’ are incompatible conceptions of theorising societal relations and collective political formations. I argue that Laclau's notion of hegemony has narcissistic and authoritarian implications by demonstrating the close proximity between his account of politics and Theodor Adorno's analysis of ‘authoritarian’ discourses. I make the case that Connolly's ethos of pluralisation is able to address the limitations of the hegemonic style of politics by offering an insightful schema for theorising the kinds of politics characteristic of contemporary social movements. I conclude with the suggestion that Connolly's approach provides the resources to challenge neoliberal and capitalist practices through a variety of strategies and tactics.
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