A Hermeneutic Approach to Gender and Other Social Identities

Download or read book A Hermeneutic Approach to Gender and Other Social Identities written by Lauren Swayne Barthold and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-06-16 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book draws on the hermeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer to inform a feminist perspective of social identities. Lauren Swayne Barthold moves beyond answers that either defend the objective nature of identities or dismiss their significance altogether. Building on the work of both hermeneutic and non-hermeneutic feminist theorists of identity, she asserts the relevance of concepts like horizon, coherence, dialogue, play, application, and festival for developing a theory of identity. This volume argues that as intersubjective interpretations, social identities are vital ways of fostering meaning and connection with others. Barthold also demonstrates how a hermeneutic approach to social identities can provide critiques of and resistance to identity-based oppression.