Funds of Identity: A new concept based on the Funds of Knowledge approach

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to articulate a theory of human identity from a Vygotskian perspective. In doing so, we use the term “funds of identity” inspired by the “funds of knowledge” approach. We use the term funds of identity to refer to the historically accumulated, culturally developed, and socially distributed resources that are essential for a person’s self-definition, self-expression, and self-understanding. Funds of knowledge—bodies of knowledge and skills that are essential for the well-being of an entire household—become funds of identity when people actively use them to define themselves. From our point of view, identity is made up of cultural factors such as sociodemographic conditions, social institutions, artifacts, significant others, practices, and activities. Consequently, understanding identity requires an understanding of the funds of practices, beliefs, knowledge, and ideas that people make use of.