The discursive domain of coupledom : a post-structuralist psychology of its productions and regulations

Abstract

Since the early 1980s social psychology has generated much empirical knowledge and many related 'truth' claims concerning the 'nature' and 'experience' of the (hetero-patriarchal) couple relationship; identifying and reifying certain patterns and components, prescribing particular relational behaviours and subjectivities while also consolidating socio-cultural ideations about what it is to be 'paired' in romantic relationships and how these can be 'successfully' maintained. From a post-structuralist perspective and drawing on Foucauldian theory in particular, this qualitative research critiques the 'psy'-disciplines's positivistic generation and naturalisation of the socio-historically specific power-knowledge of contemporary Western coupledom as a 'naturally' occurring human phenomenon. In particular, it is the discursive practices and values of couple exclusivity, commitment, trust and intimacy that are targeted in this denaturalisation of the 'stable', 'contained' and 'authentic' couple and coupled-subject and which are deconstructed as practices of freedom and truth manifest across 'conventional' and 'alternative' relationships. This thesis stages its post-structuralist psychology using the related methods of Foucauldian informed etymological and discourse analyses. The etymological analysis is a semantic history of key words and concepts deployed in the practice of contemporary coupledom, giving emphasis to its socio-historic contingency. This study conceptually grounds the discourse analysis which uses material from 28 interviews conducted with heterosexual and same sex, monogamous and non-monogamous couples and individuals, married and unmarried, co-habiting and not, to explore the productivity and regulation of couple-discourses and subjectivities in the present. Interpreting coupledom as a discursive regime, the delimitations of knowledge and possibility are problematised and consideration is given to a possible resistance not predicated on liberal-humanist and binary notions of 'freedom' and 'security'.

Date of Award	2005
Original language	English