The Fantasy of Individuality : On the Sociohistorical Construction of the Modern Subject

This volume is a step in fleshing out the historical reasons for gender inequality from the origins of humankind to present times in the Western world. It argues that despite much critique during the last two decades, gender identities are still ultimately understood as closed and rigid categories which unwittingly reproduce modern Western values. It is a theoretically-informed and up-to-date overview of the history of gender inequality that takes as its starting point the mechanisms through which human beings construct their self-identity. It discusses deeply ingrained assumptions on the relationship between gender and materiality in the present that lead both the academic community and the general public alike to reproduce specific patterns of thought about sex and gender and project them into the past. Starting from a peripheral and heterodox perspective, this book intends to appraise the complexity of gender identity in all its richness and diversity. It seeks to understand the persistence of relationality in supposedly fully individualized male selves, and the construction of new forms of individuality among women that did not follow the masculine model. It is argued here that by balancing community and self beyond the contradictions of hegemonic masculinity, modern women are struggling to build a new, more empowering form of personhood. The author is an archaeologist, who uses her discipline not only to provide data, theory and a long-term perspective, but also in a metaphorical sense: to construct a socio-historical genealogy of current gender systems, through an examination of how personhood and self-identity have been constructed in the Western world. . Read more... Abstract: This volume is a step in fleshing out the historical reasons for gender inequality from the origins of humankind to present times in the Western world. It argues that despite much critique during the last two decades, gender identities are still ultimately understood as closed and rigid categories which unwittingly reproduce modern Western values. It is a theoretically-informed and up-to-date overview of the history of gender inequality that takes as its starting point the mechanisms through which human beings construct their self-identity. It discusses deeply ingrained assumptions on the relationship between gender and materiality in the present that lead both the academic community and the general public alike to reproduce specific patterns of thought about sex and gender and project them into the past. Starting from a peripheral and heterodox perspective, this book intends to appraise the complexity of gender identity in all its richness and diversity. It seeks to understand the persistence of relationality in supposedly fully individualized male selves, and the construction of new forms of individuality among women that did not follow the masculine model. It is argued here that by balancing community and self beyond the contradictions of hegemonic masculinity, modern women are struggling to build a new, more empowering form of personhood. The author is an archaeologist, who uses her discipline not only to provide data, theory and a long-term perspective, but also in a metaphorical sense: to construct a socio-historical genealogy of current gender systems, through an examination of how personhood and self-identity have been constructed in the Western world The Enlightenment promised humanity a bright future of emancipation which never actually materialized. Instead, our social order is still based on gender inequality, which rests upon a false conviction: that the individual can be conceived of as separate from community; that the more individualized a person is, the less they need to establish links with their community to feel safe; and that the more they use reason to build a relationship with the world, the less they need emotions. Th is conviction, which guides the ideals of our social system, is based on a fantasy: the fantasy of individuality. This volume is a step in fleshing out the historical reasons for gender inequality from the origins of humankind to present times in the Western world. It is a theoretically-informed and up-to-date overview of the history of gender inequality that takes as its starting point the mechanisms through which human beings construct their self-identity. Starting from a peripheral, interdisciplinary and heterodox perspective, this book intends to appraise the complexity of gender identity in all its richness and diversity. It seeks to understand the persistence of relationality in supposedly fully individualized male selves, and the construction of new forms of individuality among women that did not follow the masculine model. It is argued here that by balancing community and self beyond the contradictions of hegemonic masculinity, modern women are struggling to build a new, more empowering form of personhood. The author is an archaeologist, who uses her discipline not only to provide data, theory and a long-term perspective, but also in a metaphorical sense: to construct a socio-historical genealogy of current gender systems, through an examination of how personhood and self- identity have been constructed in the Western world. Dedication 5 Acknowledgments 6 Addenda to the English Version 9 Contents 10 About the Author 12 Chapter 1: General Approach 13 1.1 1 13 1.2 2 14 1.3 3 18 1.4 4 21 1.5 5 22 1.6 6 23 1.7 7 24 1.8 8 25 References 27 Chapter 2: Sex and Gender 30 References 34 Chapter 3: The Origin 36 3.1 The Origin of Humanity and Primate Behavior Patterns 38 3.2 What Do We Humans Have that Bonobos Lack? 45 3.3 Recapitulation and Starting Point 47 References 49 Chapter 4: Relational Identity (or Identity When One Has No Power over the World) 51 4.1 Relational Identity 51 4.2 Gender in So-Called Egalitarian Societies 56 References 64 Chapter 5: Individuality (or Identity When One Has Power over the World) 67 References 76 Chapter 6: Relational Identity/Individuated Identity: The Appearance of Things 78 6.1 The Historical Construction of Identity 79 References 86 Chapter 7: The Fantasy of Individuality I: Women and Gender Identity 88 7.1 The Repression of Women’s Mobility and Writing 96 References 102 Chapter 8: The Fantasy of Individuality II: Men’s (Unconscious) Performance of Relational Identity 105 References 113 Chapter 9: Dependent Individuality and Independent Individuality 115 9.1 Dependent Individuality 115 9.2 Independent Individuality 118 References 125 Chapter 10: Sex and Gender All over Again 126 10.1 On Gender 126 10.2 On Sexuality 128 References 130 Chapter 11: Conclusion 131 11.1 1 131 11.2 2 132 11.3 3 135 11.4 4 137 11.5 5 139 11.6 6 142 References 143 Index 145 Front Matter ....Pages i-xiii General Approach (Almudena Hernando)....Pages 1-17 Sex and Gender (Almudena Hernando)....Pages 19-24 The Origin (Almudena Hernando)....Pages 25-39 Relational Identity (or Identity When One Has No Power over the World) (Almudena Hernando)....Pages 41-56 Individuality (or Identity When One Has Power over the World) (Almudena Hernando)....Pages 57-67 Relational Identity/Individuated Identity: The Appearance of Things (Almudena Hernando)....Pages 69-78 The Fantasy of Individuality I: Women and Gender Identity (Almudena Hernando)....Pages 79-95 The Fantasy of Individuality II: Men’s (Unconscious) Performance of Relational Identity (Almudena Hernando)....Pages 97-106 Dependent Individuality and Independent Individuality (Almudena Hernando)....Pages 107-117 Sex and Gender All over Again (Almudena Hernando)....Pages 119-123 Conclusion (Almudena Hernando)....Pages 125-138 Back Matter ....Pages 139-142