Identity

Question 1

General sociological conceptions of identity?

Answer 1

Structuralists - funct, marx, feminism believe in super structures that guide a huge chunk of identity

Interactionist - typically believe that identity is a social product and negotiable.

MODERNIST - believe in dichotomies, polarized identities, stable identities, identities that stem from structures,

POST MODERNIST - believe in fragmented identities, interconnected identities, identities on a spectrum, emphasize chaos and personal choice.

Question 2

Jenkins

Answer 2

identity is a social product of negotiation
provide meaning and are thus extremely neccessary for any kind of interaction

ALSO believes that structures are important and is against the “postmodern” as your freedom to “choose” largely depends on the power you already have in society

Question 3

Name as many sociologists as possible

Answer 3

Mead, Cooley, Goffman, Woodward, Jenkins, Hall, Bauman, Bradley, Rojeck, Marshall, McDonough, Althusser, Oakley,

Question 4

Woodward on how identities are made

Answer 4

Human negotiation and self-design within existing superstructures

uses a mix of MEAD, GOFFMAN, and FREUD (by stressing the importance of gender sexuality and childhood experience).

uses ALTHUSSER to explain how structures force us into identities.

Question 5

Woodward on increasing uncertainties (5)

Answer 5

1. new social movements (LBTQ, eg)
2. feminist movements, women employment/empowerment
3. changing social strcutures marginalize masculinity & the “working class” identity
4. consumerism
5. multiculturalism

Question 6

Stuart Hall

Answer 6

1. premodern: GOD’S PLAN
2. the enlightment subject: everyone’s a snowflake.
3. the sociological subject: cliques, except for worker unions.
4. postmodern subject: fragmented, contradictory, bc the world changes very quickly and survelliance puts the limelight on the individual as isolated from his groups. in addition, globalization = hybrid, mixed, reactionary, etc identities.

—NOTE: according to Hall, interactionists only have power in stage 3 because that is wherein “the identity is a social product based on interactions with structures, groups and individuals” in late/post modern times “ consumerism undermines any and all group identities”

Question 7

Bauman

Answer 7

no more pilgrimage, “the duty of the postmodern man is to have fun”

stroller, vagabond, tourist, player.

Question 8

Bradley

Answer 8

WHY NOT BOTH:
class is POLARIZED (rich are richer and poor and poorer) but is also now a SPECTRUM and highly differentiated.

TYPES OF IDENTITIES:
passive, active, politicized.

Question 9

Who’s still a Marxist lmao

Answer 9

Marshall- “most Brits still associate strongly w/ a given class”
McDonough agrees.

Question 10

Other things to say

Answer 10

(Any radical feminist) - believes gender is the dominant identity,
(Any youth subcultures thing)
(Any age thing)
(Most things from Media’s “representations of XXX” can be used)

Question 11

Explain Althusser & Interpellation

Answer 11

Interpellation is

a social structure CALLS OUT TO YOU in a s VERY STUBLE WAY (a magazine with a girl applying lipstick) and ENCOURAGES YOU to IDENTIFY with a PRECONCEIVED IDENTITY.

thus, thoughts that are NOT your own appear in your head and BECOME your own thoughts,

the dominant method of asserting ideology thorough manufacturing identities for people to buy into.