<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>By looking at Butler’s theories on grief and mourning, I focus on her concept of ecstasy, or the state of being outside of one’s self, which illustrates the dependency individuals have on social norms as well as the vulnerability such a system of recognition entails. Using this framework, I discuss how the private and the public spheres can construct public bodies. If this happens, individuals can have little say over how their bodies are socially signified. To show this, I use the case of Black women in the USA, where systemic oppression constantly draws their bodies into the public’s eye.</p></abstract>

By looking at Butler’s theories on grief and mourning, I focus on her concept of ecstasy, or the state of being outside of one’s self, which illustrates the dependency individuals have on social norms as well as the vulnerability such a system of recognition entails. Using this framework, I discuss how the private and the public spheres can construct public bodies. If this happens, individuals can have little say over how their bodies are socially signified. To show this, I use the case of Black women in the USA, where systemic oppression constantly draws their bodies into the public’s eye.

Public and Private Lives: Judith Butler’s Grief and the Loss of Black Self

Gender Studies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

{"article-title":"Public and Private Lives: Judith Butler\u2019s Grief and the Loss of Black Self"}

By looking at Butler’s theories on grief and mourning, I focus on her concept of ecstasy, or the state of being outside of one’s self, which illustrates the...

Public and Private Lives: Judith Butler’s Grief and the Loss of Black Self

Published Online: Mar 12, 2019

Page range: 45 - 56

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/genst-2019-0004

Keywords
black women in USA, grief, Judith Butler, mourning, normative violence, self-autonomy

© 2019 Jacob Maze, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Public and Private Lives: Judith Butler’s Grief and the Loss of Black Self

Published Online: Mar 12, 2019

Page range: 45 - 56

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/genst-2019-0004

Keywordsblack women in USA, grief, Judith Butler, mourning, normative violence, self-autonomy

© 2019 Jacob Maze, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
black women in USA, grief, Judith Butler, mourning, normative violence, self-autonomy