Situated Identity Research Articles

Alter ego: the impact of criminal identity on situational identities within the narratives of an organized crime member

ABSTRACT This study underscores the necessity of exploring criminal identities beyond mere associations with crime and deviance. Through a detailed investigation of the case of Antonio, a member of Italian organized crime who also pursues a career as a tattoo artist abroad, it reveals the complex interactions between his criminal identity and his situational identities as a migrant and artist. Antonio's distinctive situation leads to diverse social and self-representations, as his criminal identity intertwines with his migrant and artistic identities, resulting in significant social actions that address real-world issues. Using narratives from a series of semi-structured interviews, this research offers insights into how criminal identity affects and molds Antonio's various identities, illuminating the complex mechanisms of identity interaction. It identifies crucial social actions – namely ‘belonging,’ ‘internalization,’ ‘creativity,’ and ‘rebellion’ – enhancing our comprehension of identity dynamics and highlighting the critical influence of criminal identity within these processes.

The concept of performative national identity: the theoretical methodological framework

Modern social and political changes emphasize the particular relevance of the problem of forming national identity in the context of often contradictory sociocultural processes. Leveling out negative social phenomena that exploit the category of national identity and developing its potential for the formation of civic values and harmonization of interethnic relations in Russian society necessitates a deep understanding of this phenomenon, which is considered primarily as a result of its construction by social institutions. However, this process also takes the form of assimilation of elements of nation-building, passed through the filters of personal attitudes, representation of individual national identity in various social situations, which constitutes the problem of this research. Based on the study of theoretical data, the author proposed a category of performative national identity based on the application of the approaches of social constructivism and symbolic interactionism. The methods of theoretical research were theoretical analysis and synthesis, induction and modeling. As a result, the category of performative national identity has been developed, which includes technologies, features, resources for construction and conscious and unconscious representation of national identity in everyday practices. The results of the research develop the theory and methodology of constructing national identity, expand the understanding of the process of formation of national identity as a result of the assimilation of collective memory through the prism of personal attitudes, and also allow us to study the features of the representation of national identity in various situations from the point of view of the dramaturgical approach.

A narrative inquiry of a Chinese international student’s language experiences and identities in a multilingual university in Germany

ABSTRACT This study employs a narrative inquiry approach to explore the language experiences and identity formation of an international student from China within a multilingual university in Germany. Drawing on the poststructuralist theory of identity, critical ethnographic sociolinguistic (CES) studies, and language ideologies, the study reveals that her language practices and identity construction evolve across diverse contexts. Her narratives also highlight the significant mediating role of language ideologies in shaping her situated identity construction and language practices, including the relationship between English proficiency and L1 speakers of English, English as a lingua franca (ELF), the association between language and ethnicity, as well as the relationship between German proficiency and the local/foreign student separation. This study advances our comprehension of the intricate interplay between identity formation, language practices and different language ideologies as they manifest in the lived experiences of international students amidst the backdrop of multilingualism.

The motivation to integrate and perceived discrimination as antecedents of cultural identity styles.

The research examined the motivation to integrate and perceived discrimination as antecedents of cultural identity styles, the cognitive and behavioral strategies that bicultural individuals use for decision making in managing and maintaining their ethnic and national identities. Two major cultural identity styles have been distinguished: the alternating identity style (AIS, changing cultural identities depending on the circumstances) and the hybrid identity style (HIS, blending selected aspects of these identities in a unique way). Based on earlier cross-sectional research, we tested the hypotheses that the motivation to integrate would predict greater use of both styles and that perceived discrimination would predict greater use of the AIS, but not the HIS, over time. A community sample of 493 Chinese Americans (56% female, 51.5% first generation, Mage = 53.27 years) completed an online survey at two points in time with approximately a 1-month interval. Path modeling controlling for demographic factors (age, generation) and cultural identity style (AIS and HIS at T1) was used to test our hypotheses. Analyses revealed that younger Chinese Americans made greater use of the AIS and that both the motivation to integrate and perceived discrimination were significant predictors of the AIS at T2. In contrast, only the motivation to integrate predicted the HIS at T2, confirming our hypotheses. The results demonstrate that both personal and situational factors affect the management of cultural identities. The findings are discussed in relation to research on acculturation and integration and theories of social and situated identity identities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Designing for identity: how and when brand visual aesthetics enable consumer diasporic identity

Purpose This paper aims to investigate how and when visual referents in brand visual aesthetics (i.e. colours, shapes, patterns and materials) serve as design applications that enable consumer diasporic identity. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses an innovative methodology that triangulates 58 in-depth interviews with diasporic consumers, 9 interviews with brand managers and designers and a visual analysis of brands (food retailer, spices and nuts, skincare, hair and cosmetics, ice cream and wine) to provide a view of the phenomenon from multiple perspectives. Findings This study illustrates how and when particular applications and compositions of product and design referents support diasporic identity for Middle Eastern consumers living outside the Middle East. Specifically, it illustrates how the design applications of harmonising (applying separate ancestral homeland and culture of living product and design referents simultaneously), homaging (departing from the culture of living product and design referents with a subtle tribute to ancestral homeland culture) and heritaging (departing from the ancestral homeland culture product and design referents with slight updates to a culture of living style) can enable diasporic identity in particular social situations. Research limitations/implications Although applied to the Middle Eastern diaspora, this research opens up interesting avenues for future research that assesses diasporic consumers’ responses to brands seeking to use visual design to engage with this market. Moreover, future research should explore these design applications in relation to issues of cultural appreciation and appropriation. Practical implications The hybrid design compositions identified in this study can provide brand managers with practical tools for navigating the design process when targeting a diasporic segment. The design applications and their consequences are discussed while visually demonstrating how they can be crafted. Originality/value While previous research mainly focused on how consumption from the ancestral homeland occurred, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to examine how hybrid design compositions that combine a diaspora’s ancestral homeland culture and their culture of living simultaneously and to varying degrees resonate with diasporic consumers.

Leaving no one behind? Addressing inequitable HIV outcomes by attending to diversity: A qualitative study exploring the needs of LGBTQI+ young people living with HIV in Zimbabwe.

Leaving nobody behind in the fight to end the HIV epidemic as a public health threat depends on addressing inequities in optimal HIV outcomes. Consistently overlooked in research, policy and programming are young lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and intersex (LGBTQI+) people who are living with HIV. This study engaged young LGBTQI+ people in Zimbabwe to better understand their experiences of living with HIV and the support they need. Between September 2022 and February 2023, we conducted qualitative research with 14 LGBTQI+ young people (18-24 years), (two focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with 5/14). All 14 participants were accessing a LGBTQI+ HIV support group at Zvandiri ('As I Am'), a well-established community-based HIV program. We conducted thematic analysis and key findings informed the collaborative development of internal activities to further enhance inclusivity of LGBTQI+ young people within Zvandiri's programs. There was consensus among participants that being LGBTQI+ and living with HIV leads to "double stigma and double trouble", involving physical and verbal harassment, social exclusion and family rejection. Participants concealed their LGBTQI+ identity and HIV status in most situations, and many withheld their HIV status in LGBTQI+ social spaces, including community-led LGBTQI+ services. This negatively impacted their psychosocial well-being and social connectedness. Participants described positive experiences of Zvandiri. Interacting with others living with HIV in a destigmatising environment promoted self-acceptance. However, reflecting their prevailing experiences, participants were cautious about revealing their sexuality and/or gender identity at Zvandiri outside of their support group. Ensuring equitable access to HIV care, including mental health support, relies on understanding the challenges experienced by those most marginalised. Critically important is understanding the impact of intersectional stigma on LGBTQI+ young peoples' social lives, and their access to services. Community-based HIV support programs are well-positioned to support and advance this group's health rights.

Babari Masjid Chronicles: Modi’s Ideology not Embracing Ayodhya Spirit and India’s Future

Introduction: After the Babri Masjid demolition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's treatment of Ayodhya’s was criticized for violating its unity tradition. Modi's politics emphasize inclusion over exclusion. Reconciliation initiatives are examined in Ram temple construction. The essay promotes discourse, harmony, and India's diversity, emphasizing the need for integration. Methodology: The study uses inductive qualitative research to examine Modi's ideology and its relationship to Ayodhya's symbolism of unity and diversity in India. Literary secondary sources including books, journals, and novel research help collect data. The study uses interpretive content analysis and is qualitative. The protagonist's psychological journey is explored using inductive inquiry. Results/ Findings: The analysis reveals The analysis indicates a notable discrepancy between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ideological stance and the historical essence of Ayodhya as a symbol of unity and pluralism. The necessity of reevaluating Modi's ideology vis-à-vis Ayodhya and its broader implications for India's future trajectory. The research emphasizes the importance of embracing inclusivity and dialogue to safeguard the nation's unity and diversity in the face of socio-political challenges. Modi's policies and decisions concerning Ayodhya, including his role in the Ram temple construction, come under scrutiny for their implications on India's socio-political landscape. Future Direction/ Implication: This study improves understanding of "Babri Masjid Chronicles: Modi’s Ideology Not Embracing Ayodhya Spirit and India’s Future" and opens the door to further research on socio-political narratives and their psychological roots in literature. This includes studying national identity, ideological disagreement, and cultural and religious pluralism in fictional and historical situations. This research inspires further study of literary discourse, socio-political ideologies, and Indian national identity and unity

Voicing the organization on social media: towards a nuanced understanding of coworker voice and sources of control

PurposeThis article aims to (1) increase the knowledge of how coworkers experience voicing the organization on external social media and (2) deepen and nuance the knowledge of the sources of voice control involved in such communication processes. The study helps understand coworker voicing on social media as situated identity expressions through which coworkers negotiate and contest the organizational identity, thereby co-constituting a polyphonic organization.Design/methodology/approachThe study draws upon a constitutive perspective on communication and a communication-centered perspective on identity and organizational identification to investigate the voicing of organizational members of the Swedish Police Force on social media. The article is based on a qualitative study where interviews with police officers and communication professionals at the Swedish Police Authority constitute the main empirical material. A content analysis of selected social media accounts provided important background information to the interviews and enriched the understanding of coworker voice.FindingsThis analysis shows that coworkers voice the organization differently. Furthermore, the study of how coworkers experience this voicing indicates that these variations in how coworkers voice the organization depend on how strongly they identify or disidentify with organizational identity and image expressions voiced by significant others. Based on the analysis, this study presents four voice positions highlighting coworkers' varying degrees of identification/disidentification when voicing their organization on social media and reflecting upon their experiences of voicing. Furthermore, the analysis also demonstrates four sources of voice control: (1) management, (2) colleagues, (3) significant non-members and (4) the status and position of the coworker's voice. These four sources of voice control influence coworkers' voices on social media.Practical implicationsThis study also contributes with practical implications, for example that the traditional idea of monophonic organizations must be revised and also embrace a polyphonic, bottom-up approach to strengthening internal trust and organizational identity. This comes naturally with the price of less control and predictability by management but with the benefits of increased coworker engagement and pride.Originality/valueThis study contributes new knowledge and a nuanced understanding of coworker voice on social media and the sources of control that influence coworkers' voices.

Prominence and Salience Effects on Identity Nonverification

Identity verification occurs when individuals’ situational identity meanings match the meanings in their identity standard. When a person verifies an identity, they feel understood, and they feel good. When an identity is not verified, people feel misunderstood, and they feel bad. Two identity characteristics that may moderate people’s negative reactions to identity nonverification are identity prominence or importance and identity salience or time spent in the identity. We study these moderating effects on a national sample of adults who had problems verifying their identities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The identities included worker, friend, romantic partner, and family member. The results show, as hypothesized, that identity prominence increases the negative responses to nonverification, while identity salience decreases the negative responses to identity nonverification. We discuss how these countervailing effects advance our understanding of identity prominence and salience.

Behaviour of Adolescent Boys and Girls with Intact and Impaired Intellect Intellect (Based on Parents’ Assessment)

The article presents results of parents’ assessment study comparison on safe behaviour of teenagers with unimpaired and impaired intellect in dangerous situations. A total of 105 parents (mainly mothers) of 15-17 year old teenagers participated in the study: 47 parents of teenagers with unimpaired intellect, 58 parents of teenagers with impaired intellect (mild mental handicap), 54 parents of boys, 51 parents of girls. Through parental questionnaires, data on the safety behaviour of teenagers was obtained according to the absence/presence of intellectual disabilities and according to sexual identity in different situations concerning their safe/dangerous behaviour on the road, on a walk, when using electrical appliances, sharp cutting objects, etc. The findings reveal the justification basis to form a safe behaviour culture in teenagers, if they have or do not have impaired intellect or if they belong to different sexes.

Fake Face Detection in Identity Cards Using Stegoface

Abstract: Identification and Machine-Readable Travel Documents (MRTDs) play a crucial role in verifying and validating identities in various situations, such as international travel, civil applications, online commerce, and access to transaction processing systems. These documents incorporate multiple security features aimed at preventing document forgery. However, criminals have shifted their focus to obtaining genuine documents fraudulently and manipulating facial portraits, as the existing security systems are challenging to bypass. To address this issue and mitigate the risks associated with such fraud, it is imperative for governments and ID/MRTD manufacturers to continually enhance and develop security measures. In this context, we present StegoFace, an innovative and efficient steganography method specifically designed for concealing secret messages within facial images found on common IDs and MRTDs. StegoFace employs an end-to-end approach, consisting of an ensemble of n Deep Convolutional Auto Encoders, which encode the secret message into a stegofacial image, and a Deep Convolutional Auto Decoder, capable of extracting the hidden message from the stegofacial image. Notably, our StegoFace approach outperforms the StegaStamp method in terms of perceptual quality, as evidenced by the results of metrics such as Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio, hiding capacity, and imperceptibility on the test dataset.

English is ‘the language everybody shares’ but it is ‘my native language’: language ideologies and interpersonal relationships among students in internationalizing higher education

ABSTRACT This paper examines the roles of different language ideologies—sets of common-sense beliefs about language and its speakers—in students’ identity construction and negotiation in the context of internationalizing higher education. Along with the increasing diversity of students as English speakers, language ideologies have been critically examined for potential contribution to inequalities among students. I analyze two focus group discussions of students from international English-medium instruction master’s programs at a Finnish university. I explore the students’ talk using critical discursive psychology to illuminate possible intersections between language ideologies and students’ situated identity construction, paying attention to ideological dilemmas alongside students’ identity negotiation. The findings indicate that both emerging and established language ideologies may become relevant to students’ identity construction and negotiation. Possibly, turning students’ attention towards the multilinguality of every student and the specific purposes and characteristics of academic language might contribute to the discursive sustainability of inclusive interpersonal relationships among students.

Identity and Voluntary Language Maintenance Efforts: A Case of Bilingual Korean-American University Students in Hawai‘i

Summary Reporting on the experiences of four bilingual Korean-American university students enrolled in Korean language classes in Hawai‘i, this case study focuses on their identity development and voluntary efforts to achieve heritage language (HL) competence. According to the participants’ narratives, they all experienced regression in their HL abilities and language shift from Korean to English after entering school. However, they began to regain HL skills as adolescents, which was possible due both to their voluntary engagement with HL literacy and speaking practices and to the abundance of opportunities to learn and speak the HL in the home and community. Transnational connections with their heritage nation, including Korean media and visits to Korea, were key in motivating and facilitating their voluntary HL learning. Their narratives further show that the HL played an important role in the participants’ ability to construct a strong sense of ethnic identity, and that they tended to view themselves as part of two distinct cultures. They were connected to the norms and values of both the receiving country’s culture and the culture of their heritage nation. As second-generation immigrant children, they learned to utilize their bilingual and bicultural knowledge to navigate between the two cultures in a flexible manner, to construct situated identities, and to avoid conflicts and achieve collective identity, solidarity, and group membership. The study’s insights into the role of voluntary effort in HL learning and identity development have implications for HL education.

Encountering bodies and identity dynamics of social worker: A case of a cleft lip and palate surgeries department

This article highlights social work practices for children with cleft lip and palate (CLP) and their families in a hospital. Embodiment is the main theoretical perspective used to analyse complex encounters between clients (children with CLP and their parents) and social workers in concrete interactive situations. It allows us to symmetrically reflect on how encounters between the bodies of clients, the social worker and medical professionals co-construct and redefine the social worker’s identities. Three body-related identities emerge and coexist as the practice proceeds: a normal person with a normal life, a learner without embodied knowledge of a particular illness and a professional with both medical and social work authorities. These three dimensions show how mutual embodiment in contextualised interactions affects the social worker-client relationship. About implications for social work practice, we draw attention to the situated identities of social worker in a specific context, and explain how embodiment serves as a critical tool to improve our understanding of practitioners’ dynamic identities through embodied reflexivity.

Dialektics of Bicultural Identity in Intercultural Communication: A Phenomenological Study Approach

This study aims to understand and analyze the ways in which bicultural individuals identify as Betawi people in building meaning about their identity in situations of intercultural communication. This study uses a qualitative approach that in its implementation uses a type of understanding. The subjects of the study were bicultural individuals in Jakarta who identified themselves as Betawi people. This study concludes that, first, the meaning of identity to be a Betawi Person is implemented by bicultural individuals by internalizing Betawi cultural values in their daily lives. Local wisdom "openness and equality", "living beneficially for others" and avoiding primordialism are values that are widely applied by bicultural individuals in all situations. Second, in the situation of intercultural communication, Betawi becomes the main identity used by informants. Meanwhile, occupational identity becomes the main identity in the context of intracultural meetings (ingroups). Third, this study also found differences in the ethos of figures caused by differences in age and types of daily activities carried out by the study subjects. This study recommends further research to explore the experiences of other subgroups such as the Betawi millennial generation.

How to not lose oneself: the case for relational identity in collaborative supply relationships

PurposeFor a long time, researchers have stressed the importance of identity for collaborative supply relationships. Accordingly, it has been proposed that supply relationships may be efficiently managed by establishing a shared collective identity among partners. However, this strategy may challenge the partners' individual distinctiveness and thus lead to adversarial relationship outcomes. In this article, it is argued how and when establishing an intergroup relational identity may be a better choice than building a collective identity.Design/methodology/approachThe conceptual research is based on an analysis of previous literature. Relational identity theorizing and the theory of intergroup leadership are applied to build on and extend previous views on identity in interorganizational contexts.FindingsIt is proposed that when supply chain actors are subject to identity threats in collaborative supply relationships, such threats are driven by the imbalance of power between or among the parties. Therefore, establishing an intergroup relational identity should be preferred over a collective identity in situations characterized by a high identity threat.Research limitations/implicationsFuture studies could support this article's theoretical suggestions with empirical evidence.Practical implicationsIntergroup relational identity preserves the distinctiveness of all parties involved in a collaborative relationship and is based on their individual contributions. Managers could support a collaborative environment and promote a shared vision between or among organizations through appropriate rhetoric.Originality/valueThis study contributes to an understanding of the relational aspects of interorganizational behavior by adapting social psychological theories to this area of research.

The role of emotion in Chinese preschool teachers’ identity construction

Based on 33 Chinese preschool teachers' emotional experience, this study developed a taxonomy to specify the functional roles of emotions in Chinese preschool teachers’ identity construction. The analysis shows that emotions played three major functions, including a barometer of identity affirmation and disaffirmation, a pedagogic strategy to display situated identities, and a mediator of identity commitment. The findings also reveal individual differences in the fulfillment of these functions during emotional construction of professional identities. Such differences highlighted the importance of teacher beliefs in being a preschool teacher and teacher self-reflection on the interactive nature of emotions in identity construction.

Ontološka bezbednost i kolektivni identitet kroz prizmu strateške kulture na primeru Kosova i Metohije

The paper theoretically investigates the phenomena of ontological security and collective identity through the prism of strategic culture, with an empirical elaboration of the case study of Kosovo and Metohija. The authors supplement the realistic understanding of security with a social-constructivist perspective, emphasizing the influence of values, ideas, perceptions and culture in general in the shaping of collective identity, which is closely related to the subjective sense of security. The main hypothesis is that the solidity of the collective identity survives regardless of external pressures and reshaping tendencies because its survival is perceived as an inseparable essence of ontological security. The authors conclude that the strength of collective identity in certain situations overcomes the problems of collapsed institutions and the absence of actors who advocate the basic values of that identity. Kosovo and Metohija is more than a material part of the territory, strongly building the foundations of collective identity. An individual who feels a sense of belonging to such a collective identity will almost instinctively reject any solution which affects that identity, so he will perceive an attack on those values, no matter how intense, as a feeling of personal insecurity.

EU Identity as a Factor of Resilience in the Face of Russia’s Special Operation in Ukraine

The authors examine a close connection between the European Union’s resilience and identity in academic and contemporary political discourse. In the latter case, the sources of the EU’s resilience have not yet been identified, but the Russian factor has come as a variable that determines the connection between resilience and identity in the context of the Russia-Ukraine clash as a conflict of values. As a non-systemic challenge, Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine has shifted the focus in the EU’s search for the sources of resilience and made it face the problems of self-identity in a changed environment. The article argues that the EU’s collective identity may be a factor of its resilience. It concludes that, given the European Union’s previous unsuccessful experience of appealing to collective identity in crisis situations, its use in the face of Russia’s special military operation will be limited, although it has highlighted the need for strengthening the EU’s identity.

Демаркация идентичности: проблема сохранения суверенитета индивида в цифровом пространстве

Introduction. In the digital age, the individual becomes the bearer and victim of an ambivalent and labile individual identity: a real identity, as an expression of one's own individuality, including personal, group, professional, gender, ethnic, civil, and a virtual identity, as a user of an information resource with an individual digital code. Today, a universal era of active imitation of real life is being formed, the construction of an anonymous individual based on a total upgrade of his identification codes. Theoretical basis of the study. Based on the identification and analysis of individual identity in the digital space, the conceptualization of various approaches to characterizing identity was carried out. It is expressed in the fact that the situational approach characterizes a theoretical construction that describes the ability of a person to form his identity in various situations and, in order to preserve his individuality, deviate from the general norms of group behavior; the intersubjective approach defines the unique place of the individual, his awareness as a consequence of internalization in the existing symbolic organization of the group; the structural-functional approach explicates a fixed set of attributions of an individual, which include his personal traits, functional characteristics and motivational structure. Results and its discussion. In the digital environment, the identification constructs of the individual are reproduced as some instrumental matrices or original operational models of everyday and social communication, models of relationships and interconnections in the plurality of social worlds. At the same time, reflecting social reality, the individual forms his attitude towards it according to the identification construct, and realizing his actions according to these matrices and models, the individual creates a part of reality itself, changes it, transforms it. Considering that an identification construct can be a purposefully formed or involuntarily emerging way of reflecting the reality that dominates an individual, it can be represented as a pragmatic-target result of a direct impact on the subject of an artificially constructed environment (manipulation), or as a consequence of a rational attitude to social reality in the form of a product of social experiences and social feelings determined by the principles and rules of the dominant reality.