Paper short abstract:

The paper develops the Herzfeldian concept of disemia (the ambivalent double nuance in self-representation) beyond its original referents to bring forward its dialectical potential. Unresolved contradictions are seen here not as a limitation but as the inspiration that fuels transformation.

Paper long abstract:

The paper develops the Herzfeldian concept of disemia, designed to accommodate analytically the ambivalence emerging from the co-existence of contradictory ethno-political self-identifications. Disemia was introduced by Herzfeld to address the tensions between official self-representation (in formalistic terms) and the informal, intimate view of the Self, which may be imperfect, imprecise, not officially endorsed. The concept has been also used to capture contradictions emerging between parallel but non-overlapping representational narratives, such as feeling Western-European but not Western enough, or being modern but simultaneously indigenous. The emerging contradictions in their simultaneity defy binarisms and essentialisms, and as such they provide generous analytical inspiration. Drawing from Hegel, Hall and Adorno, I attempt here to develop the concept further by bringing forward its dialectical dimensions: its ability to capture the articulation of contradictory positions in a continuous, fluid and processual manner. Seen as an inherently dialectical concept, disemia can contribute to dynamic theories of change by foregrounding complexity and multi-dimensional identifications. I draw examples from my work in Panama and Greece.