Towards a cognitive-sociological theory of subjectivity and habitus formation in neoliberal societies

Leyva, Rodolfo ORCID: 0000-0002-5186-9123 (2019) Towards a cognitive-sociological theory of subjectivity and habitus formation in neoliberal societies. European Journal of Social Theory, 22 (2). pp. 250-271. ISSN 1368-4310

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Abstract

Disconcerting findings from nascent sociological research suggest that Western youth are developing subjectivities that reflect neoliberal discursive formations of self-interest, competitiveness, and materialism. However, propositions about: (1) the cognitive-affective mechanisms that explain how youth acquire and reproduce neoliberal ideology, or (2) the dispositions and behaviours that typify a neoliberal subject, remain vague. Therefore, this article provides a novel conceptualization of these two psychosocial facets that can help advance understandings and investigations of the emerging modes and societal consequences of neoliberal subjectification, Specifically, it reviews major theoretical tenets from the respective literatures on neurocognitive development, social cognition, neoliberalism, and neoliberal hegemony. It then synthesizes these tenets within a modified habitus formulation to sketch a testable cognitive-sociological model to explain and explore some of the distinct dispositional values, attitudes, and practices that youth raised in societies with institutionally and culturally prevalent neoliberal norms and discourses potentially may develop and enact.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	https://journals.sagepub.com/home/est
Additional Information:	© 2019 Sage
Divisions:	Media and Communications
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HM Sociology
Date Deposited:	29 May 2019 15:06
Last Modified:	12 Dec 2024 01:45
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/100805

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