Existential Selves: Freedom, Chaos and the Search for Meaning

This volume draws on existentialist ideas from philosophy, psychology and sociology to explore some intriguing questions. How do good people commit evil deeds? Which parts of our selves do we try to hide from others - and from ourselves? How do we find a balance between routine predictability and chaotic despair? What excuses do we make to avoid taking responsibility for our (in)actions? Focusing on Yalom’s four ’givens’ of the human condition - death, freedom, isolation and meaninglessness - the authors examine these existential themes in relation to wide-ranging topics. The chapters include case studies from the world of skydiving, women and transgender pro-wrestlers, suicide bombers, sexual subjectivity, utopias and dystopias, psychoanalysis, technology and progress, power and love. As such, the book will be a useful resource for scholars and students from a range of humanities and social science disciplines.

Susie Scott is Professor of Sociology at the University of Sussex, UK. Her research interests include micro-sociological theory, Goffman, symbolic interactionism, self-identity, emotions and mental health.

James Hardie-Bick is Associate Professor in Sociology and Criminology at the University of Sussex, UK. His research interests include social theory, self-identity, violence and transgression.