Chapter 16 — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from Chapter 16

reassignment (noun)

The act of transferring someone to a different role, task, or location, often used by organizations to redirect personnel.

galvanize (verb)

To shock or excite someone into taking action; to stimulate or stir up a group of people.

fetishism (noun)

An excessive and irrational devotion to or obsession with a particular thing, often involving the projection of fantasy onto an object or person.

transgressive (adjective)

Involving a violation of accepted or imposed boundaries, especially social or moral norms.

interiority (noun)

The inner life or psychological depth of a person; one’s private thoughts, feelings, and sense of self.

dialectical (adjective)

Relating to the logical discussion and resolution of opposing ideas, often associated with Marxist analysis of historical and social forces.

corrosive (adjective)

Tending to cause damage or deterioration gradually; destructive in a slow, persistent way.

autonomous (adjective)

Having the freedom to govern oneself or act independently, without external control.

instrumentalization (noun)

The process of treating a person as a tool or means to an end rather than as an individual with inherent worth.

ideological (adjective)

Relating to or based on a system of ideas and ideals, especially concerning political or economic theory.

disillusionment (noun)

The feeling of disappointment resulting from the discovery that something is not as good or worthy as one believed.

visceral (adjective)

Relating to deep inward feelings rather than the intellect; instinctive and gut-level.

vacuum (noun)

An empty space or gap, especially one left by the removal of someone or something important.

expendable (adjective)

Considered to be not worth preserving or saving; able to be sacrificed to achieve a larger objective.

alienation (noun)

The state of being isolated or estranged from a group or activity to which one should belong; a feeling of disconnection.