Restriction lift date: 2030-12-31
Speaking Truths: exploring truth-claims based on 'lived experience', a genealogy of key concepts in contemporary social justice activism
Loading...
Files
Date
2024
Authors
Moore-Ponce, Jody
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University College Cork
Published Version
Abstract
This dissertation critically examines the concept of ‘lived experience’ as a site of knowledge production, exploring its historical emergence, cultural construction, and contemporary deployment in academia, politics, and social justice activism. Drawing on Foucault's genealogical method, Weber's concept of 'switchmen,' and Wierzbicka's linguistic historicism, this research situates ‘lived experience’ within a broader historical and cultural framework, emphasising its role as a constructed and contingent epistemic category. Central to this examination are the interconnected notions of ‘speaking your truth’ and individualism, which have played a key role in shaping the perceived value of ‘lived experience.’ The research traces key historical moments such as Ancient Greek ideas of truth-telling, early Christian confession, the Reformation, and Enlightenment ideas of the individual to reveal the constructed nature of ‘lived experience’. It examines how historical developments in ideas now referred to as ‘lived experience’ and ‘speaking your truth’ have influenced the modern emphasis on personal narratives and emotional authenticity. These shifts highlight broader societal trends that prioritise immediate, felt, ‘lived experience,’ underscoring the rise of personal narrative as a key element of knowledge production and authority. Empirically, the study incorporates two aspects: 20 long-form qualitative interviews with social justice activists and a digital discourse analysis of key terms such as ‘lived experience’ and ‘speaking your truth’ on Twitter, blogs, and other media. The interviews reveal how activists use ‘lived experience’ to challenge systemic inequities, while also grappling with feelings of guilt, inadequacy, and the pressures of performative activism. These emotions often contribute to tensions between meaningful action and the risk of ‘inactivism,’ where self-doubt or excessive focus on personal narratives may hinder broader collective efforts. The digital analysis examines how these dynamics are echoed and amplified in public discourse. Together, these methods demonstrate that while ‘lived experience’ can empower individuals and communities, it can also reinforce individualism, fragment solidarity, and polarise discourse. This tension is further analysed through the concepts of ‘Lived Experience Talk’ (LET) and ‘Lived Experience Dialogue’ (LED), which highlight the performative risks of uncritical valorisation and propose a framework for collective engagement. By situating ‘lived experience,’ ‘speaking your truth,’ and individualism within their historical and cultural contexts, this research provides new insights into their transformative potential and risks. The genealogical approach offers a new framework for understanding ‘lived experience’ as a historically contingent construct, enabling scholars to interrogate its role in shaping knowledge and authority across diverse contexts. In addition, the introduction of LET and LED provides a critical lens and practical tools for exploring how personal narratives can move beyond performative gestures to foster genuine dialogue and collective change. These contributions ultimately situate ‘lived experience’ within a broader history of the present, offering an analytical perspective through which to examine how contemporary engagements with personal narratives are shaped by, and reshape, enduring cultural and ideological frameworks. This research opens new pathways for the critical examination and application of ‘lived experience’ in academic and activist practices.
Description
Keywords
Social justice activism , Genealogy , Lived experience , Knowledge production
Citation
Moore-Ponce, J. 2024. Speaking Truths: exploring truth-claims based on 'lived experience', a genealogy of key concepts in contemporary social justice activism. PhD Thesis, University College Cork.