Why and how do contemporary questions of culture so readily become highly charged questions of identity? The question of cultural identity lies at the heart of current debates in cultural studies and social theory. At issue is whether those identities which defined the social and cultural world of modern societies for so long - distinctive identities of gender, sexuality, race, class and nationality - are in decline, giving rise to new forms of identification and fragmenting the modern individual as a unified subject. Questions of Cultural Identity offers a wide-ranging exploration of this issue. Stuart Hall firstly outlines the reasons why the question of identity is so compelling and yet so problematic. The cast of outstanding contributors then interrogate different dimensions of the crisis of identity; in so doing, they provide both theoretical and substantive insights into different approaches to understanding identity.

"A spectacular collection of essays by the most noted theorists of identity. The book well frames the issues around identity that presently are defining living in the early 21st century ... A must read." - Patricia Ticineto Clough, City University, New York "A wonderfully disparate and impressively distinguished set of authors to address the question of identity. The result is exciting and fruitful. No other book connects so elegantly sociological notions of individualization with the psychoanalysis of melancholy." - Scott Lash, Goldsmiths, University of London Identity in Question brings together in a single volume the world′s leading theorists of identity to provide a decisive account of the debates surrounding self and identity. Presenting incisive analyses of the impact of globalization, postmodernism, psychoanalysis and post-feminism upon our imaginings of self, this book explores the complexity, contentiousness and significance of current debates over identity in the social sciences and the public sphere. As these contributions make clear, mapping the contours and consequences of transformations in identity in our globalizing world is not simply an academic exercise. It is a pressing concern for public and political debates. As identity continues its move to the centre of political life, so too do the possibilities for creatively re-imagining how we choose to live, both individually and collectively, in an age of uncertainty and insecurity. Identity in Question is essential reading for all students of self, identity, individualism and individualization.

Questions of Identity treats four varieties of conceptions of individual and social identity. This interdisciplinary book describes and analyzes four trends of thought that have prevailed at one time in most of Europe over the last two centuries: the idea of the responsible citizen, the concept of patriotism or nationalism, the loss of self, and "suffering" as a formative element in the "national character." In a section devoted to Václav Havel, Pynsent treats Havel's notion of personal identity as expressed in personal responsibility. Another section concerning national identity looks in particular at two early nineteenth-century Slovaks who rejected Slovak nationalism and whose ideas ultimately had a profound impact on East European thinking on nationality up to the fall of communism. A third section deals with the beginnings of Modernism and the apparent disintegration of the self in West European and Czech writers. The final section addresses Vladimír Páral's expositions of the Czech cult of national martyrs since St. Wenceslas and the extent to which the "martyr" complex remains part of Czech self-identification.

‘‘‘Who am I?’ and ‘Who are we?’ are the existential, foundational questions in our lives. In our modern world, there is no construct more influential than ‘identity’ – whether as individuals or as groups. The concept of group identity is the focal point of a research group named “A Question of Identity” at the Mandel Scholion Interdisciplinary Research Center in the Humanities at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The papers collected in this volume represent the proceedings of a January 2017 conference organized by the research group which dealt with identity formation in six contextual settings: Ethno-religious identities in light of the archaeological record; Second Temple period textual records on Diaspora Judaism; Jews and Christians in Sasanian Persia; minorities in the Persian achaemenid period; Inter-ethnic dialogue in pre-1948 Palestine; and redefinitions of Christian Identity in the Early Modern period.

What is really happening when people either individually or in groups identify with particular definitions of themselves or strike out to take up new identities? Do gender, class and ethnicity offer some stability, or are they limiting?

Our choice of linguistic code is one of the most fundamental ways open to us of establishing our membership of some groups and our distance from others. This symbolic value of language may often leave it open to exploitation, especially by the state. The present volume demonstrates how the multi-faceted nature of the concept of identity makes its relationship with language both complex and unpredictable. Because of its particular historical and social characteristics, the French language provides especially fertile territory for the exploration of this theme. Four main axes stand out in the French context: 'institutionalised' identity, regional identity, social identity and competing identities. These themes are explored from different perspectives by leading experts from Britain, Europe and North America: Roger Baines, Kate Beeching, Danielle Bouverot, David Cowling, Edith Esch, François Gadet, Penelope Gardner-Chloros, David Hornsby, John E. Joseph, Dominique Lagorgette, Jacques Landrecies, Dawn Marley, Nicolas Pepin, Tim Pooley, Gilles Siouffi, Albert Valdman, Barbara von Gemmingen and Chantal Wionet.

The #1 New York Times bestseller. Over 20 million copies sold! Translated into 60+ languages! Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving--every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results. If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you'll get a proven system that can take you to new heights. Clear is known for his ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to daily life and work. Here, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. Along the way, readers will be inspired and entertained with true stories from Olympic gold medalists, award-winning artists, business leaders, life-saving physicians, and star comedians who have used the science of small habits to master their craft and vault to the top of their field. Learn how to: make time for new habits (even when life gets crazy); overcome a lack of motivation and willpower; design your environment to make success easier; get back on track when you fall off course; ...and much more. Atomic Habits will reshape the way you think about progress and success, and give you the tools and strategies you need to transform your habits--whether you are a team looking to win a championship, an organization hoping to redefine an industry, or simply an individual who wishes to quit smoking, lose weight, reduce stress, or achieve any other goal.

A bold vision of liberal humanism for navigating today’s complex world of growing identity politics and rising nationalism Collective identities such as race, nationality, religion, gender, and sexuality clamor for recognition and respect, sometimes at the expense of other things we value. To what extent do they constrain our freedom, and to what extent do they enable our individuality? Is diversity of value in itself? Has the rhetoric of human rights been overstretched? Kwame Anthony Appiah draws on thinkers through the ages and across the globe to explore such questions, developing an account of ethics that connects moral obligations with collective allegiances and that takes aim at clichés and received ideas about identity. This classic book takes seriously both the claims of individuality—the task of making a life—and the claims of identity, these large and often abstract social categories through which we define ourselves.

This book will introduce you to yourself. Despite what you may have been told since you were a child, you cannot be whatever you want to be in life–you are already what you were meant to be. The secret to uncovering who you are, and your purpose, is built into you in the form of a code–the identity code. Much like your genetic code, your identity code provides a complete map of how you were designed to live. Answer the questions that frame the identity code, and the contours of your life will shift. You will not only emerge stronger, you will emerge larger. Larger in heart, larger in influence, larger in your capacity to love and be loved. You will understand the why of your life. In this life-transforming book, Larry Ackerman shows you how to crack your identity code. With more than twenty years of experience helping organizations and individuals identify their purpose, Ackerman reveals the Laws of Identity and the Eight Essential Questions they contain. As you answer these questions, your identity will gradually become clear. It will become the foundation from which you’ll make truly meaningful decisions about what work is right for you, how to build and maintain relationships that matter, and even what interests and hobbies make sense for you. These eight questions, and the call to action each one implies, are WHO AM I?: Define yourself as separate from all others WHAT MAKES ME SPECIAL?: Unearth what you love IS THERE A PATTERN TO MY LIFE?: Make the connections that explain past events and foreshadow your future WHERE AM I GOING?: Use what you’ve learned so far to guide you on your path WHAT IS MY GIFT?: Follow the signs of joy WHO CAN I TRUST?: Take stock of who matters–and why WHAT IS MY MESSAGE?: Declare yourself on the strength of your gift WILL MY LIFE BE RICH?: Surrender to the pull of your identity As Ackerman points out, unbridled freedom actually weighs you down. The myth of personal freedom–the notion that you have infinite choices in the course you set for yourself–is the unspoken agony of the modern person. True freedom comes with knowing your identity: the unique characteristics that define your potential for creating value in the world, for making a contribution that springs naturally from the core of your being and touches the lives of others. Within this framework, life’s seeming boundaries melt away. Intelligent, provocative, and always practical, The Identity Code sets the reader on the classic quest: the discovery of self. Take the journey. From the Hardcover edition.

How do people identify with organizations? What role does organizational identity play in organizational strategy? Identity in Organizations investigates the fundamental character of organizational identity and individual identification with an organization. Through the use of an unconventional, conversational format the reader is drawn into a provocative discussion among key organizational scholars that focuses on three different paradigmatic views of identity: a functionalist perspective, an interpretive perspective, and a postmodern perspective. Similarities and distinctions among these ways of understanding are explored and numerous theoretical and practical insights are gained. This groundbreaking book concludes with a discussion of the relevance of identity as a construct in organizational study and observations on conversation and theory building. Many well-known scholars participate in the conversation, including Jay Barney, Denny Gioia, Mary Jo Hatch, Stuart Albert, Anne Huff, Judi McLean Parks, and Rod Kramer. Identity in Organizations will be of interest to professionals and students of organizational studies, human resource management, industrial psychology, sociology of work, psychology, and organizational communication.