The changing faces of self-esteem: A critical history of the concept and its implications for personhood
Year: 2015
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This thesis critically analyzes the concept and phenomenon of self-esteem using the approach of historical ontology.The analysis focuses on how understanding and application of the concept has shifted as a consequence of three sociohistorical processes: the quantification, idealization, and normalization of self-esteem.While selfesteem originally was understood as unquantifiable and a by-product of success, it is now considered quantifiable and a cause of success.As well, whereas the modification of self-esteem previously was regarded as idiosyncratic, it is now believed that all people can and should raise their self-esteem using generic strategies that emphasize selfresponsibility and self-management.It is argued that these changes gave rise to a new kind of person called "low self-esteemers."Revealed is that although low self-esteemers have low self-esteem because they are marginalized in society, they are held responsible for their negative self-feelings.The source of their low self-esteem is social and political-a consequence of neoliberalism-but they and others are made to believe the cause of their low self-esteem resides internally as an individual psychological problem.
Source: Summit (Simon Fraser University)
Author: Carlye Vroom
Language: English
Topic: Foucault, Power, and Ethics
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2256545733