Slavoj Zizek talking about the theoretical richness of Lacan’s four discourses: the master’s discourse, the hysteric’s discourse, the university discourse, and the analyst’s discourse. What follows is a prolonged discussion of the various guises of the object small a in its imaginary, symbolic and real forms and its relevance for contemporary ideology critique. Public open lecture for the students and faculty of the European Graduate School EGS Media and Communication Studies department program Saas-Fee Switzerland Europe