objektivieren

Objektivieren is a German verb meaning to objectify or to render something objective. In everyday language it denotes treating a thing or a person as an object, removing or diminishing subjective aspects such as agency, feelings, or context dependence. In philosophy and social theory, Objektivierung refers to a process by which a subject or phenomenon is apprehended, described, or manipulated as an object—something separable from the observer and open to analysis, control, or instrumental use. The noun Objektivierung is used across disciplines; in ethics and gender studies the term is especially associated with reducing people, particularly women, to objects of use or appearance.

The concept is distinguished from Objektivität (objectivity) and from Subjektivität; Objektivierung is not necessarily a claim about truth but a description of social or epistemic processes. In feminist theory and critical media studies, Objektivierung is discussed as contributing to a loss of autonomy and dignity, prompting critiques and calls for denaturalizing dominant representations and for recognizing subjectivity.

In usage, the verb can appear in contexts of critique or analysis, or as a description of a methodological stance, where phenomena are treated as objects of knowledge, measurement, or manipulation. Related terms include Objektivität, Objekt, Subjekt, and Repräsentation.