Extending the Boundaries of the Dialogical Self: Speaking from within the Feminist Perspective

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore the ways in which feminist theory can contribute to the construction of an alternative and more inclusive account of the process of identity development than the one proposed by dialogical accounts. Focusing on Anzaldua’s (1987) concept of mestiza and on Lugones’ (1994) concept of curdling, the paper proposes an approach to identity formation that is sensitive to the dialogicality of people’s experiences. This move away from the notion of purity and truth-seeking psychological accounts should acknowledge the fundamental hybridity of lived experiences.