Identity Politics: The Explosion of the Subjects

The universal subject of modernity was a white, male, heterosexual, property owner, belonging to a “civilized” country. Diverse social groups were clearly excluded from the project of modernity. These social groups and critical intellectuals trends articulated a harsh critique to this fixed meaning of the individual. Minority, ethnic, feminist, gay and lesbian groups, among others, activated a critique to those homogenous notions which make them the invisible "other." With all categories that intended to contain all, the exactly opposite occurs. So, every one knows that concepts like people (the will of the people...), masses, citizens and even class (which are categories distinctive of modernity) do not contain all that is intended, but exclude a vast number of subject positions. The question for those being excluded was: Do we want to be contained within that category? Different positions, that is to say, political positions, were configured. Some of the positions that articulated that critique were inscribed within the same grand-narrative of modernity and asked for inclusion. However, more lately there have been other positions which no longer privilege inclusion, but the recognition of differences (for example: post-feminism and queer theorizing). This last position can be described as a postmodern approach to the issue of identity politics.