Problems of authenticity in expressive work

Abstract

Chapter 6 considers work in the expressive orientation, which concerns the articulation and expression of identities. The dilemma is one of authenticity, and it turns on questions of provenance. When the identity is grounded in shared experiences, needs, and desires, the adherent may be well placed to help. When the experiences, needs, and desires are unshared, she is a less possible and less useful ally. Three approaches are distinguished: disjoint “validation,” in which the adherent attests, on the basis of her expertise, that the claimed identity is valid; conjoint “crossing-over” in which the adherent seeks to share the identity-forming experiences of the constituents; and “self-expression,” in which constituents seek to secure their identities alone. The supporting case study for this chapter contrasts the mobilization of male sympathizers in the Edwardian women’s suffrage movement with their demobilization in the Women’s Liberation Movement of the 1970s.