The Formation of the Individual and the Constituents of Individuality in Tunisian Society

Abstract

What is one investigating when attempting to determine the nature of the individual and individuality in non-western societies such as, for example, Tunisian society? This is the question posed by Rahouma in his study, noting that this sociological problematic is first and foremost a conceptual one, presenting a theoretical challenge to the sociology of the individual in all its diverse social and cultural contexts. When searching for analogues, Rahouma warns not to fall into the trap of comparisons with the Western model. Instead, individualization should be approached as a process that is embodied in the actions of individuals and in the facets of their day to day lives, a process governed by the specificity of contexts that may engender specific configurations of the individual and individualism. Questions such as “Who is the “I” residing in me, or the “I” worn as a mask, can only be entertained, argues Rahouma, when civil and human rights are taken into consideration. Accordingly, tracking the offshoots of individuality can best be achieved on the basis of the national modernization effort and continual adjustment of the headlong rushing course of contemporary social life. In each of these offshoots, argues Rahouma, there lies sectoral specificity associated with scope and environment.