Figurations of Human Subjectivity

Book excerpt: This book takes an empirically grounded perspective on research in values, intimacy and sexuality,among other topics in psychology, to highlight the importance of searching for human subjectivity in its diversity, plurality and self-generativity. The author conducts an in-depth discussion on the methodological and epistemological issues enabling the study of subjectivity, and argues that in order to improve the contribution of psychology to human knowledge, a study of subjectivity must be at the forefront.This book presents a critical reflection of the author's decades-long research within psychology to argue for a significant paradigm shift in the conception and execution of psychological research: a shift to "second order psychology". Gabriel Bianchi is a senior research fellow at the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute for Research in Social Communication, Slovakia.He is a social psychologist active in non-medical research on sexuality, intimacy, gender, reproduction and partnerhood within a broad context of values, democracy and politics. He has over 30 years of experience in international research teams, with a focus on applying qualitative, discursive and mixed research design. He is author of Sexuality: From Intimacy to Politics: With Focus on Slovakia in the Globalized World, 2020.