Alcoff: Divided Identity.

Alcoff focuses on the concept of identity. Through this focus she strives to create a new language surrounding identity in order to break through present thought barriers as well as define a language that is still under construction. She uses philosopher Martin Heidegger's terminology to decontruct old ways of viewing identity, while simultaneously opening new dialogues and modes of thinking

One point I found to be primarily interesting was Alcoff's explanation of one's racial or ethnic identity as a formulation of both what she calls the "public identity" and the "lived subjectivity". These terms show that there is a difference between how one creates their identity from the public views which are based primarily on visual classifications and assumptions, but also from one's own subjective experience of themselves. These two forms of knowing oneself are not seperate entitities, but rather are connected in a constant interplay.
The problem arises when the dominant influences in society denegrade one's public identity. In order for that individual to protect their lived subjectivity they must seperate their identity, thereby creating a divided self. An example of this is if one lives in a society such as the U.S. where light skin is portrayed as beautiful, but darker skin is viewed as undesirable. In this case a black woman, (especially for a woman because there is more pressure for her to be beautiful than for a man) must seperate herself from her public identity, in order to protect her lived subjectivity. If she does not divide her identity in this way she will most likely internalize the public identity, thus effecting her lived subjectivity to the point that she believes herself to be ugly, and therefore lesser of a person. So one is caught either in a position of a divided self, or believing negative connotations of oneself. Alcoff turns to Heidegger for help.