Subjects of Desire: Academic Armor, Intimate Ethnography, and the Production of Critical Knowledge

Abstract

Although critiques of objectivity have been vast, and experimental, postmodern approaches have been important and inspiring, the author argues that the pursuit of objectivity per se is not the biggest roadblock to producing critical knowledge. Rather, problems of objectivity are rooted in the larger issue of emotional detachment, which is facilitated by academic armor. Emotional detachment is implicit in the standard scientific method, but such detachment can also be found in some postmodern approaches. In both cases, the academic’s expert jurisdiction is preserved. In contrast, emotionally engaged, subjective experiences ignite one’s work with passion and make one more invested in institutionalizing the truth of one’s informants. Yet, emotionally engaged reflections alone are not enough to sustain an effective cultural and institutional critique. For this, one needs comparisons that can be observed and verified on interpersonal, organizational, and structural levels.