Feminist Self-Identification: the Power of Redefinition?

Abstract

This thesis presents an exploration of the subjective narratives and identities of women who identify as feminists. This study builds upon the post-structural conceptualisation of subjectivity, in which the self is brought into existence through a matrix of discourses. Through the use of auto/biographical interviews, this study unveils the complex interaction between individuals and social relations in the formation of identity. In opposition to previous work on feminist selfidentification, the participants' narratives reveal subjectivity to be a continual process of negotiation between competing discourses of feminism and gender. The paper proceeds with a self-reflexive analysis of the researcher's motivations for undertaking the study, and is contextualised through a critical reading of contemporary feminist debates.