Woman's relationship with herself : gender, Foucault and therapy / Helen O'Grady.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

O'Grady, Helen, 1953-

Series:

Women and psychology

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Foucault, Michel, 1926-1984.

Foucault, Michel.

Women--Psychology.

Women.

Women--Identity.

Self-perception in women.

Self-esteem in women.

Control (Psychology).

Sex role--Psychological aspects.

Sex role.

Physical Description:

ix, 149 pages ; 25 cm.

Place of Publication:

London ; New York : Routledge, 2005.

Summary:

"Woman's Relationship with Herself" explores the relationship women have with themselves and demonstrates how this relationship is often dominated by debilitating practices of self-surveillance. Employing Foucault's notion of panoptical power, Helen O'Grady illuminates the link between this kind of self-surveillance and the broader mechanisms of social control, arguing that these negative practices prevent women from enjoying a satisfying, affirming relationship with themselves. Certain cultural factors that render women vulnerable are identified and analysed and the possibilities for developing a more empowering relationship with the self are explored. This innovative contribution to feminist debates about gender and the self will be of interest to students and researchers in social psychology, gender studies, politics, and philosophy.

Contents:

A lens for viewing self-policing

Gender and self-policing

Challenging negative identity practices-narrative therapy

Immanent critiques : expanded possibilities for refusing self-policing

An ethics of care for the self

Foucault and therapy-a contradiction?

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 132-140) and index.

ISBN:

0415331269

0415331277

OCLC:

55744973