subjectivities
Subjectivities refer to the configurations of conscious experience, selfhood, and standpoint that arise from the interaction between individuals and their social environments. They include personal beliefs, feelings, values, biases, memories, and the meanings people attribute to events and others’ actions. In philosophy, subjectivity denotes the interior, first-person perspective that colors judgment, whereas objectivity aims at impartial reference. In the social sciences, subjectivities emphasize how identities and cultural narratives shape perception, interpretation, and action.
Theoretical approaches vary. Phenomenology and existentialism foreground lived experience and intentionality; feminist, postcolonial, and critical theories
Researchers study subjectivities with qualitative methods such as interviews, life histories, and narrative analysis, as well
Critiques highlight partiality, the risk of relativism, and potential essentialism. Some argue subjectivities are dynamic and
Key forms include epistemic subjectivity (knowledge from a standpoint), moral subjectivity (values), political subjectivity (agency and
Relevance extends across education, psychology, design, policy, and ethics in technology; recognizing subjectivities can improve communication,