Cultural Identifications Theory

Abstract

Abstract This entry provides an introduction to cultural identifications theory (also known as cultural identity theory, cultural identity negotiation theory, or CIT). This theory began as cultural identity theory, an interpretive theory that examines, understands, and describes the communitive processes through which individuals come to know, construct, and negotiate their cultural group identities in intercultural communication interactions. Now—responding to postcolonial and postmodern critiques—it has evolved into cultural identity negotiation theory, or theorizing cultural identifications, which is a critical/interpretive theory that understands and interrogates processes and forms of cultural identifications as historical, relational, and cultural constructions. This introduction traces the theoretical evolutions of the CIT framework and synthesizes ongoing commitments of the theory.