Tattoos through Dialectics: Communication, Subjective Perceptions and Neo-Scholastic Interpretations

Abstract

This paper explores the phenomenology of tattoos through the prism of their communicative role in contemporary society, analyzing how tattoos serve as means of expressing identity, personal values, and belonging to various sociocultural groups. Applying a multidisciplinary approach that encompasses anthropology, sociology, semiotics, and aesthetics, the work illuminates how perceptions of tattoos move from subjective impressions to complex neo-scholastic interpretations, highlighting the dialectical relationship between individual and collective meanings. The analysis is based on the "Grounded Theory" methodology theory, semiotic understanding of the relationship between the signifier and the signified, and sociocultural aspects that shape and define the perception of tattoos in various contexts. The paper concludes that tattoos transcend their aesthetic dimension, serving as deeply rooted symbols in human culture that reflect, shape, and challenge sociocultural norms and values, encouraging further research into the dynamics between tattoos, identity, and social perception.

DOI: 10.5671/ca.48.1.8