Identity and Social Solidarity

The Concept of Identity

• Identity is how individuals or groups view themselves and how others perceive them.
• Identity is not the same as personality. Personality reflects psychological aspects of character (introversion vs. extroversion, etc.), whilst identity is more fluid and changeable.
• Identity includes information like one's gender, social class, ethnicity, nationality, religion, and personal experiences.
• Identity shapes our social connections. Knowing ourselves and others' identities helps us understand similarities and differences.
• Social solidarity, or a sense of belonging, relies on shared identities.
• emile durkheim: solidarity vs anomie: humans need solidarity and social ties as otherwise we will be prone to anomie ( a condition where norms and values are breaking down)

Importance of Identity

• Establishing our own and other's identities is critical for understanding social connections.

Durkheim: Solidarity vs. Anomie

• Solidarity is essential to prevent societal disintegration and anomie (normlessness), which can lead to higher rates of suicide.
• Anomie is a condition where social norms and values break down.

Lawler (2014)

• Identity is shaped by similarities and differences with others. Sharing identities like being human, male/female, etc., makes us similar.
• Identity also involves a unique notion of what makes us different from others.
• We do not share the same experiences in life, and our identities are influenced by socialisation processes.

Lawler (2014) cont

• Identities are important because we recognize who we, and others, are and were.
• The identities we have impacts our social lives (people we know, communities we belong to).
• If people did not have an identity, it would be difficult to connect with peer groups, neighbours or communities.

Mead (1934): Symbolic Interactionism

• Mead’s work (Mind, Self & Society) explains that social action is influenced by the meanings people give to things.
• The "self" is formed from two parts: "I" (impulsive, spontaneous and creative) and "Me" (the socially-constructed aspects of self, conforming to norms by considering others’ views).
• "Me" reflects our internalized view of how others see us.
• The "I" and "Me" are constantly interacting in social interactions to establish identity.
• The ‘self’ is not present at birth, but is formed through interaction over time thanks to language.

Identity of Individuals and Groups

• Identity depends on personal choice and the responses and attitudes of others.
• we are not free to adopt any identity we'd like
• Factors like social class, ethnicity, and gender influence how identity is seen.

Howard Becker (Labelling Theory)

• Becker’s theory focuses on how individuals' identities and actions are influenced by how others describe and classify them.
• Becker believes that how others label individuals influences those individuals' behavior.
• These labels can create self-fulfilling prophecies and stereotypes that shape individuals’ social interactions.
• Labels, classifications and interpretations by others influence our sense of identity.

Goffman (1990) & identity & Master Status

• Goffman studied stigmatized identities that are viewed as undesirable.
• A Master Status is the most important social position a person has. This status can influence their social interactions and identity.

Identity as a social Construction

• Identities are social inventions and depend on shared interpretations of norms, values and labels.
• We give meaning to things based on our social context, even when those things are social constructs - that is, created by people rather than existing naturally as is.

Identity and Fluidity

• Identities may change over time.
• Individuals may present different identities in different social situations.

Different Types of Identities

• Identity can be categorized as individual or personal, social, collective, multiple, and stigmatized or spoiled.