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4 - Identity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 December 2020

By
Peter Burke
Edited by
Peter Kivisto
Peter Kivisto
Affiliation:
Augustana College, Illinois
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Summary

This chapter provides an outline of identity theory as it has developed out of its structural symbolic interaction origins. Identities are sets of meanings that define who we are in terms of the roles we have, the groups or social categories to which we belong, or the unique characteristics that make us different from others.The chapter reviews the origins of identity theory, including the characteristics, content, and bases of identities; in addition, it discusses how identities operate, change, and protect themselves as well as how they provide us with self-esteem.It concludes with a discussion of how identities provide a link between individuals and their society.

Identity, identity change, identity theory, self, self-esteem

Peter Burke is a winner of the American Sociological association’s Cooley-Mead Award for Career Contributions to Social Psychology. He is a Professor of the Graduate Division of the University of California, Riverside, Distinguished Professor (Emeritus) in the Department of Sociology, and a Fellow of both the AAAS and the APS.

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Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Social Theory , pp. 63 - 78
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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References

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  • Identity
  • Edited by Peter Kivisto, Augustana College, Illinois
  • Book: The Cambridge Handbook of Social Theory
  • Online publication: 03 December 2020
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316677452.005
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To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

  • Identity
  • Edited by Peter Kivisto, Augustana College, Illinois
  • Book: The Cambridge Handbook of Social Theory
  • Online publication: 03 December 2020
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316677452.005
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Identity
  • Edited by Peter Kivisto, Augustana College, Illinois
  • Book: The Cambridge Handbook of Social Theory
  • Online publication: 03 December 2020
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316677452.005
Available formats
×