How Objective Is Bourdieu’s Participant Objectivation?

Abstract

Pierre Bourdieu argues that, in order to bring to light the “historical transcendental” that unconsciously dominates the thinking of the social scientists, social scientists must reflexively apply scientific methods to themselves and engage in what he calls a “participant objectivation,” a reflexive act of “objectifying the subject of objectivation.” In this article, the author argues that Bourdieu’s participant objectivation fails on two counts: First, the author shows that Bourdieu’s attempt to distinguish his epistemic reflexivity from the narcissistic or postmodern reflexivity turns out to be a complete failure. Second, using a particular example, the author shows why Bourdieu will not be able to help lay agents give up their own “supposedly” collusive objectivation.