The Reflexive Self

The Reflexive Self is a critical discussion of
contemporary self-identity as a reflexive project,
which Anthony Giddens claims has emerged as a result
of recent and radical social upheavals in late
modernity. It initially traces the development of
an account of social change and self-identity in
Giddens s writing. The author then offers a
critical analysis of Giddens s key claims. Drawing
on a wide range of critical social and psychological
theory, the idea of a reflexively formed self-
identity is problematised by various issues: the
culturally situated nature of modern identity;
aspects of self-experience which may compromise a
reflexive understanding of the self; and the
importance of social relations of power in a
theorisation of self-identity. These discussions
are clarified by reference to various illustrative
psychosocial topics such as social class, intimacy,
fate, trust. and power. The author claims that
Giddens s notion of reflexivity needs to be
extensively revised in order to more accurately
represent contemporary forms of self-identity.

Autorentext
Dr Matthew Adams is a senior lecturer and researcher in social
psychology at the University of Brighton, UK. His work focuses
on relational dimensions of selfhood; from the role of immediate
others to broad social and cultural contexts such as class,
consumption and faith.

Klappentext
The Reflexive Self is a critical discussion of contemporary self-identity as a reflexive project, which Anthony Giddens claims has emerged as a result of recent and radical social upheavals in late modernity. It initially traces the development of an account of social change and self-identity in Giddens's writing. The author then offers a critical analysis of Giddens's key claims. Drawing on a wide range of critical social and psychological theory, the idea of a reflexively formed self- identity is problematised by various issues: the culturally situated nature of modern identity; aspects of self-experience which may compromise a reflexive understanding of the self; and the importance of social relations of power in a theorisation of self-identity. These discussions are clarified by reference to various illustrative psychosocial topics such as social class, intimacy, fate, trust. and power. The author claims that Giddens's notion of reflexivity needs to be extensively revised in order to more accurately represent contemporary forms of self-identity.