Identity : a very short introduction

Includes bibliographical references (pages 133-141) and index.

Introduction: an 'identity' wave -- "Who am I?" Identity in philosophy -- Identity in logic and the classical law of thought -- Given or constructed? Identity in cultural anthropology -- Adam and Eve, Hijra, LGBTQs, and the shake-up of gender identities -- Identity in politics: promises and dangers -- 'Your station in life': social identities in our time -- Citizenship, legal status, and proof of identity: identity as a legal concept -- Selfhood and personality: the psychology of identity -- 'They don't speak our language': identity in linguistics -- Who is behind the mask? Identity in literature.

The concept of identity is one which has become embedded in our modern lives. From our racial, social, or gender identities, to the identity of the killer, the suspicious powder, an emerging nation, or the leading political party, 'identity' means different things in different contexts. In this Very Short Introduction Florian Coulmas provides a survey of the many faces of the concept of identity, and discusses its significance and varied meanings. Tracing our concern with identity to its deep roots in Europe's intellectual history, individualism, and the felt need to draw borderlines, Coulmas identifies the most important features used to mark off individual and colletive identities, and demonstrates why they are deemed important.