Subjectivity: Theories of the Self from Freud to Haraway

by Nick Mansfield

A portrait in subjectivity theories and its relevance to debates in contemporary culture

What am I referring to when I say "I"? This little word is so easy to use in daily life, yet it has become the focus of intense theoretical debate. Where does my sense of self come from? Does it arise spontaneously or is it created by the media or society?

This concern with the self, with our subjectivity, is now our main point of reference in Western societies. How has it come to be so important, and what are the different ways in which we can approach an understanding of the self? Nick Mansfield explores how our notions of subjectivity have developed over the past century. Analyzing the work of key modern and postmodern theorists such as Freud, Foucault, Nietzsche, Lacan, Kristeva, Deleuze and Guattari, and Haraway, he shows how subjectivity is central to debates in contemporary culture, including gender, sexuality, ethnicity, postmodernism, and technology.

Genres: Philosophy, Theory, Nonfiction, Psychology, Psychoanalysis, Criticism, Cultural Studies

198 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2000

Reviews

[Sajid · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book successfully gave a broader view on the discussion of Subjectivity. Nick Mansfield mostly concentrated on Postmodernist view on Subjectivity,because only in postmodern time we became fully aware of the invisibility of our very concrete self(though we can see its symptoms in Nietzsche as well). The “i” or our self were always a baffling matter to think about. It always eludes us. Nick Mansfield, in this book very interestingly cited the insights of so many important figures like Kant,Rousseau, Nietzsche, Freud,Heidegger, Foucault, Deleuze, Lacan and so on. But what i want to critique is the writer's totally being unaware of Derrida and existential thinkers like Sartre,Ponty and Beauvoir while writing on Subjectivity, because they also had so many important things to say on Subjectivity. Besides, they are very Influential as well. Though he ignored Derrida throughout the book,he merely cited just one quote of Derrida,also used the word “Deconstruction” so many times,which is the word philosophically coined by Derrida himself.

[Halil Öztürk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uzun zamandır okuduğum en doyurucu ve tomurcuklandırıcı kitap.
Bu farklı özne/kendilik teorilerinin bilim, ekonomi, sosyoloji, etik, siyaset, sanat, spor gibi diğer alanlara olan yansımaları/uygulamaları da incelenmeli.

[sude · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teşekkür ederim Halil♥

[Akanksha G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a psychology student who wanted to access this book for critical theories on selfhood and subjectivity. This book does exactly what the title promises. Nick Mansfield discusses various theories in Western thought on the topic of subjectivity. He takes up theories of several people including but not limited to Freud, Lacan, Foucault, Fanon, Deleuze and Guattari, and Lyotard, providing an introduction to their key concepts in a very accessible and easy to understand language, also giving you valuable suggestions for further reading. Recommended to every student of the social studies.

[Allen Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I read this book 15 years before. I have an MA in Sociology and a another Masters in Theology. But my knowledge about this particular aspect of subjectivity/ self was very weak. So a must for anyone who doesn’t have a philosophy background and yet wants to know critical theories. Down to earth explanation. Brilliant..

[Cassey · Rating 4 out of 5]

An accessible easy to use read - the read further sections at the end of each chapter are great.

[Berk Efe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written book and a gateway to further readings on the problem of subjectivity theories; both psychoanalytic theories following the heritance of S.Freud and Power/Knowledge theorists. I'd recommend the book to the beginners or ones who is confused about postmodern theories about subjectivity, gender/queer theory, contemporary philosophy and cultural studies

[Bella Luu · Rating 3 out of 5]

The arguments that gender is an inevitable outgrowth of biology (whether they argues that men are naturally dominant because they hunt, or that women are naturally more caring because they give birth) disguise politically and culturally determined differences as something inevitable and immutable. p. 69

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful overview. At times I wished for a little more in the way of explaining some quite complicated theories, but it did a great job of helping to illuminate the dynamics between different theories. Very helpful.

[Belinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good introduction to philosophical theories of the self. Well written and easy to understand - a good place to start when trying to wrap your head around the many different theories of subjectivity.

[Armagan (any pronouns) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A relatively short book on a vast area of knowledge. Its critical approach is a gender sensitive one, which makes it engaging for me. It's worth reading. Imho, the book can be defined as "the critiques of theories of the self", not just plain introduction to the theories of subjectivity.

[k8inorbit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice overview of the cultural studies big-wigs.

[Shirin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative.

[Risa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Subjectivity: Theories of the Self from Freud to Haraway by Nick Mansfield (2000)