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Technologies of the self in culture: critical reflections on the self-managed subject

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Abstract

The basis for this article is several sociological studies that have demonstrated contemporary socio-political transformations, such as the fragmentation of social ties or traditional communities, the breakdown of work or relationship spaces that used to provide safe havens for shaping identity, and analyses of neoliberal individuality, especially studies based on French philosopher Foucault’s research on ‘technologies of the self’ and his ‘entrepreneur of himself’ idea. To that end, we will study specific mechanisms for self-constructing subjectivities in a cultural space prone to these technologies: self-help literature. We identify three main mechanisms: reflexivity mediated by psychological categories, self-administered tests and management of emotions. These are all mechanisms developed to be confluent with the cultural needs of neoliberalism, in other words, depoliticising the understanding of conflicts and constructing subjects that can self-manage social risks.

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  1. Department of Psychology, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud (URJC), Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Avenida de Atenas s/n, 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain

    Roberto Rodríguez-López

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Correspondence to Roberto Rodríguez-López.

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Rodríguez-López, R. Technologies of the self in culture: critical reflections on the self-managed subject. Subjectivity 30, 152–166 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41286-023-00162-x

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