Recenti contributi americani alla teoria dell’identità

Abstract

The article presents a number of contributions to Identity Theory by American authors which have come out approximately in the last twenty years. They are related to Mead and Symbolic Interactionism in general, from a theoretical and conceptual point of view, and basically deal with the question of how individuals are connected through their identities with the social structure. The article dwells on some concepts of contemporary Identity Theory, such as identity standard; role; personal and collective identity; identity salience and commitment; and the prominence hierarchy of identities. It also hints at different theoretical currents within Identity Theory, as represented chiefly by Burke and Stryker; at some instances of empirical research in this field of studies; and at Affect Control Theory, Social Movements and Gender Studies as examples of a fruitful application of contemporary Identity Theory.