Alienation

Alienation is a condition in which individuals feel isolated from aspects of their life, such as the products of their labor, their social world, or their own sense of self. The term has roots in German philosophy and has been developed in sociology and psychology to describe several related experiences.

In philosophy, Hegel used the term to describe how self-consciousness becomes estranged from itself through its own social and spiritual life; Karl Marx reframed alienation within capitalist production, identifying four primary forms: alienation from the product of labor, from the process of labor, from one's own 'species-being' or human potential, and from other people.

Other frameworks include existentialist and critical theory perspectives. Sartre and Camus discussed alienation as a condition of modern existence marked by isolation and meaninglessness; Erich Fromm argued that modern society fosters a sense of powerlessness and estrangement.

Outside of theory, alienation is used in psychology and psychiatry to describe perceived detachment from social relationships, reality, or one's own sense of reality; in clinical settings it may accompany depression, trauma, or psychosis, but it is not a standalone DSM diagnosis.

In cultural and social analysis, alienation is linked to urbanization, market forces, and technocratic rationalization that can dissolve personal meaning. It is also explored in art and literature as a theme of estrangement from society, self, or the world.

See also: estrangement, disaffiliation, autonomy.