Reversing Kristeva’s first instance of abjection: the formation of self reconsidered

Abstract

Psychoanalyst Julia Kristeva defines the theoretical concept of abjection as an unconscious defence mechanism used to protect the self against threats to one's subjectivity. Kristeva suggests that the first instance of abjection in an individual's life occurs when the child abjects the mother. However, the instance of abjection addressed within this paper is the reverse of this: the abjection of the child, with a disability, by the parent, and more broadly society. Using the contemporary example of prenatal testing, the authors explore how parents of children with disabilities may be influenced in abjecting the child. The implications of abjection of the child are then used to explore normalization, routinization of care and the development of standardized care practices within health-care. Prenatal screening practices and standardized care permeate medical obstetric care and social discourses regarding pregnancy and childbirth, thereby affecting not only healthcare professionals but also parents in their position as consumers of health-care. In a time when the focus of health-care is increasingly placed on disease prevention and broader medical and social discourses glorify normalcy and consistency, the unconscious abjection of those that do not fit within these standards must be identified and addressed.

Abjection in Nursing: Silently Reading the Body

“…This objecting to things that signal the differences between the self and another human being identifies it as the other. This is an occurrence for the protection of the self and defined by Kristeva as abjection (McCabe & Holmes, 2011). It is the reason why a dead body make us nervous, or the smell of feces (especially human) is disgusting.…”

Domestic abuse as a transgressive practice: understanding nurses' responses through the lens of abjection

“…The concept of abjection is not well-known in nursing (Bradbury-Jones, 2012), and it has become recognized only recently as something that directly affects nursing work (McCabe & Holmes, 2011). Sick, disabled, smelly bodies, wounds, vomit, faeces, and so on are part and parcel of nursing work that threaten the clean and proper selves of nurses (Rudge & Holmes, 2009;Bradbury-Jones, 2012).…”

“…It provides opportunity for these to be unwritten and for horror itself to be defaced (Latimer, 2010). Moreover, dealing openly with disgust, repulsion, and fear is essential if nurses wish to understand the implications of these on their clinical practice (Jacob et al, 2009;Rudge & Holmes, 2009;McCabe & Holmes, 2011;Bradbury-Jones, 2012).…”

“…Blood, faeces, and vomit are key examples of matters that are likely to evoke abjection and can therefore be considered also as abject. Moments that incite abjection are those that disturb identity, system, and order that do not respect borders and rules (McCabe & Holmes, ). Abjection is thus a chaotic experience because it disrupts the clear system of order through which human beings secure and maintain their integrity (Jacob et al ., ).…”

“…Of the limited literature on the subject within nursing, analyses of abjection have been undertaken in relation to: forensic psychiatric patients (Jacob et al ., ); people with developmental disability (McCabe, ); people with dementia (Holmes & Federman, ); people living on a ventilator (Lindahl, ). McCabe & Holmes () undertook a captivating analysis of how a child with a disability may evoke abjection in their own parents.…”