Pockets, dresses and suppression – A philosophical reflection on clothing, agency, and identity

Stefan Daniel Michel Gaillard and Jobke Visser

Technology in Society, 2022, vol. 69, issue C

Abstract: Our identity, who we are, and the way we express this is in many ways shaped by the technology we have available to us. Following on Judith Butler and Judy Wajcman, we present an agency-based theory of identity, stating that our personal identity should be seen as a performative construct. Technology often shapes what actions we are capable of undertaking and thus plays a role in the kind and amount of agency we experience. We offer a critical review of the role of clothing in our agency and identity construction, drawing on historical examples of garments which influenced women’s agency in particular. Finally, we examine current developments in the field of smart clothing, analysing future potential for functional clothing, as well as the importance of functionality to our agency, and we conclude by presenting mechanisms to ensure smart use of smart clothing.

Keywords: Feminism; Agency; Smart clothing; Performative identity theory; Personal identity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:teinso:v:69:y:2022:i:c:s0160791x22001130

DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2022.101972

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