Social Identity (Key Ideas)

Social Identity provides a clearly written and accessible introduction to sociological and social anthropological approaches to identity. Looking at the work of Mead, Goffman and Barth, Richard Jenkins makes clear their relevance to everyday life. Insisting that reflexive social identity is not a modern phenomenon, he argues that individual and collective identity can both be understood using the same model of "internal" and "external" processes. The book provides an essential guide to the concept of social identity, offering critical disucssions of Schutz, Berger and Luckmann, Becker, Anthony Cohen, Giddens, Bourdieu and many others. Social Identity provides a clearly-written accessible introduction to sociological and social anthropological approaches to identity. Looking at the work of Mead, Goffman and Barth, this book makes clear their relevance to everyday life. Insisting that reflexive self identity is not a modern phenomenon, the core argument is that individual and collective identity can both be understood using the same model, as 'internal' and 'external' processes. Social Identity brings together sociological and social anthropological theories of identity, and makes an original contribution to social theory. Focusing on identity as individual and collective, this book brings us a fresh perspective on the relationship between the individual and society. This book provides an essential guide to the concept of social identity, offering students critical discussions of Schutz, Berger and Luckman, Becker, Anthony Cohen, Giddens, Bourdieu and many others. Without social identity there is no human world. Without frameworks of similarity and difference, people would be unable to relate to each other in a consistent and meaningful fashion. In the second edition of this highly successful text, Richard Jenkins develops his argument that identity is both individual and collective, and should therefore be considered within one analytic framework. Using the work of major social theorists, such as Mead Goffman and Barthes, to explore the experience of identity in everyday life, Jenkins considers a range of different issues, * embodiment * categorization and boundaries * the institutionalizing of identities * identity and modernity. Written in an open and student-friendly style throughout, this multidisciplinary text has been thoroughly revised and updated, and is essential reading for all students interested in the concept of identity in the contemporary world. This third edition builds on the international success of previous editions, offering an easy access critical introduction to social science theories of identity, for advanced undergraduates and postgraduates. All of the previous chapters have been updated and extra material has been added where relevant, for example, on globalization. Two new chapters have been added; one addresses the debate about whether identity matters, discussing, for example, Brubaker; the second reviews the postmodern approach to identity. The text is informed by relevant topical examples throughout and, as with earlier editions, the emphasis is on sociology, anthropology and social psychology; on the interplay between relationships of similarity and difference; on interaction; on the categorization of others as well as self-identification; and on power, institutions and organizations. Behavioral Sciences BOOK COVER 1 TITLE 4 COPYRIGHT 5 CONTENTS 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 10 1 IDENTITY MATTERS 12 2 SIMILARITY AND DIFFERENCE 27 3 A SIGN OF THE TIMES? 39 4 UNDERSTANDING IDENTIFICATION 48 5 SELFHOOD AND MIND 60 6 EMBODIED SELVES 71 7 ENTERING THE HUMAN WORLD 85 8 SELF-IMAGE AND PUBLIC IMAGE 101 9 GROUPS AND CATEGORIES 113 10 BEYOND BOUNDARIES 129 11 SYMBOLISING BELONGING 143 12 PREDICTABILITY 159 13 INSTITUTIONALISING IDENTIFICATION 167 14 ORGANISING IDENTIFICATION 180 15 CATEGORISATION AND CONSEQUENCES 195 16 IDENTITY AND MODERNITY REVISITED 211 NOTES 218 BIBLIOGRAPHY 224 INDEX 249 Identity Matters -- Similarity And Difference -- A Sign Of The Times? -- Understanding Identification -- Selfhood And Mind -- Embodied Selves -- Entering The Human World -- Self-image And Public Image -- Groups And Categories -- Beyond Boundaries -- Symbolising Belonging -- Predictability -- Institutionalising Identification -- Organising Identification -- Categorisation And Consequences -- Identity And Modernity Revisited. Richard Jenkins. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [207]-237) And Index. Acknowledgements -- Knowing Who's Who -- Sign Of The Times? -- Understanding Identification -- Selfhood And Mind -- Embodied Selves -- Entering The Human World -- Self-image And Public Image -- Groups And Categories -- Beyond Boundaries -- Symbolising Belonging -- Predictability -- Institutionalising Identification -- Organising Identification -- Categorisation And Consequences -- Why Identity Matters In The Modern World. Richard Jenkins. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [189]-209) And Index. Synthesising theory and research from various disciplines, this new edition outlines an approach to the understanding of identity that includes individual and collective identification within one analytical framework. Developing the argument that identity is both individual and collective, the author explores the work of major social theorists such as Mead, Goffman and Barth to explain the experience of identity in everyday life