TY - JOUR

T1 - A phenomenology of fear : Merleau-Ponty and agoraphobic life-worlds.

AU - Davidson, Joyce

PY - 2000/9

Y1 - 2000/9

N2 - This paper explores the nature of agoraphobic sufferers' fears of social spaces drawing on Merleau-Ponty's dual conceptions of 'lived' and 'objective' space. Merleau-Ponty's phenomenological approach highlights both the mediating role of sensations in acquiring a sense of identity and the importance of recognising the social (as opposed to the merely individual) construction of lived space. I argue that an approach capable of theorising agoraphobic 'being-in-the-world' requires just such recognition of the effect that other people have on the space that they occupy. The potential relevance of this approach for sufferers from agoraphobia is explored through a case study.

AB - This paper explores the nature of agoraphobic sufferers' fears of social spaces drawing on Merleau-Ponty's dual conceptions of 'lived' and 'objective' space. Merleau-Ponty's phenomenological approach highlights both the mediating role of sensations in acquiring a sense of identity and the importance of recognising the social (as opposed to the merely individual) construction of lived space. I argue that an approach capable of theorising agoraphobic 'being-in-the-world' requires just such recognition of the effect that other people have on the space that they occupy. The potential relevance of this approach for sufferers from agoraphobia is explored through a case study.

KW - agoraphobia • Merleau‐Ponty • body-boundaries • lived space • self-identity

U2 - 10.1111/1467-9566.00224

DO - 10.1111/1467-9566.00224

M3 - Journal article

VL - 22

SP - 640

EP - 660

JO - Sociology of Health and Illness

JF - Sociology of Health and Illness

SN - 0141-9889

IS - 5

ER -