Identity Construction Research Articles

Constructing a Conformer–Explorer Identity in Pandemic Narratives: A Qualitative Study of Chinese Emerging Adults

Existing research indicates that social crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped young people’s sense of self, but little is known about what identities emerging adults construct in their pandemic narratives. Following propositions of narrative identity and Terror Management Theory, this qualitative study investigated Chinese emerging adults’ identity construction in their narratives of the national outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2022. Participants were 62 college students invited to share their pandemic experiences with reflections. Thematic analysis of the data suggests that the participants shared their pandemic experiences as a process of managing their death terror activated in the pandemic which threatened their sense of self and meanwhile motivated them to reconstruct who they are in the world. Based on their meaning-making capacities, the participants disclosed death awareness and vulnerabilities, adopted a temporal perspective in storytelling, emphasized their interpersonal and social connections, and made meaning out of the pandemic experiences to defend against death terror. As an outcome of their narration, a conformer–explorer identity was constructed in their pandemic narratives and we proposed a dialectical model to capture the dynamics of the construction. Although with limitations, this study contributes to our understanding of the functions of mortality salience on narrative identity among emerging adults in collectivist cultures during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Discourse Historical Analysis of Identity Construction of New Energy Enterprises in China and the United States

In recent years, with the increasing awareness of climate change and environmental protection, new energy vehicles have gradually become a hot topic in the automotive industry. This article uses the Social Responsibility Report of BYD and Impact Report of Tesla as corpus, adopts a discourse-history research approach to analyze the three-dimensional framework of discourse analysis, and uses the corpus tool Wmatrix 6.0 to analyze the macro-themes, meso-discourse strategies, and micro-language features of corporate identity construction in China and the United States, explaining their similarities and differences in the construction of new energy enterprise identities. This study provides reference for the identity construction of new energy enterprises in China, and has practical significance for enhancing the international discourse construction ability of Chinese new energy enterprises.

On bicultural identities construction: daughter and mother’s counterstories in an Asian American immigrant family

ABSTRACT This piece answers the call to explore mother-and-daughter relationships in immigrant families. It uses narratives to humanize the Asian American experiences in and out of schools. Guided by AsianCrit theory, the paper centers on the counterstories of a first-generation immigrant mother and her 2nd generation U.S. -born adolescent in a Chinese American family. The mother and the daughter each narrate their lived experiences and reflect collaboratively on how their counterstories construct their bicultural identities collectively and respectively under the tenets of Asianization and transnational context. We hope our narratives will add to the current literature to dismantle the stereotypes of Asian Americans being viewed as model minorities and honorary whites. By discussing the hyper-in/visibility of Asian Americans, we urge classroom teachers and teacher educators to amplify the voices of these marginalized groups in their daily instructions to promote the positive identity development of Asian Americans.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire: Deconstruction of Female Identity

Abstract: Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a drama film directed by Cline Sciamma and starring Adle Haenel and Nomie Merlant. The film centers on the passionate love story between Heloise, a bride on the brink of marriage, and Marianne, the painter commissioned to create her portrait. This paper analyses the construction and deconstruction of female identity in Portrait of a Lady on Fire through the lenses of gaze theory and feminist identity theory. It begins by exploring Heloise's resistance to the objectifying male gaze, illustrated through her defiance against the passive model identity and her challenge to the myth of Orpheus, which traditionally casts women in powerlessness and rescue role. The paper then delves into the film's critique of the roles of wife and mother within the patriarchal, heteronormative family structure, drawing on Simone de Beauvoir's ideas in The Second Sex to further contextualize the film's feminist discourse. Through these analyses, the paper reveals how the film reimagines and challenges traditional female identities, offering a detailed and subtle portrayal of women's autonomy and identity.

The Presence of Biopower in Keiko Furukura from Sayaka Murata’s “Convenience Store Woman”

The collected written and oral works of a society portraying values and beliefs as well as their challenges are referred to as literature. In terms of age and volume, Japanese literature is comparable to Western literature. Sayaka Murata, a prominent Japanese author, critiques conventions, exemplified by her 2016 novella "Convenience Store Woman," shaping the identity of a 21st-century woman. Keiko, Murata’s heroine, works in a convenience store and lives through the question of absolute autonomy. This study investigates the presence of Biopower in Keiko Furukura from Sayaka Murata’s “Convenience Store Woman.” Specifically, it looks into character, settings, and themes. This study uses a qualitative method, specifically Discourse Analysis. The theories that support this study are Michel Foucault’s Theory of Biopower and Sociological Literary Criticism by Kenneth Burke. The results of this study reveal that Anatomopolitics and Biopolitics are the forms of Biopower present in the character. In the settings, both Anatamopolitics and Biopolitics are also exhibited. Similarly, Anatomopolitics and Biopolitics are the forms of Biopower found in the themes. Based on the findings, this study concludes that Biopower is present in Keiko Furukura from Sayaka Murata’s “Convenience Store Woman.” From the study’s conclusion, the following are recommended: The Death of Individualism: A Character Analysis of William Stoner from John William’s “Stoner,” Construction of Identity: A Sociological Critique of Natsuko Imamura’s “The Woman in the Purple Skirt,” Challenging Gender Norms: An Examination of Gender Norms in Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” Challenging the Contemporary Feminism of Kojima in “Heaven” by Meiko Kawakami.

Naming, labelling and the cultural construction of the identity of persons with albinism in East, Central, and West Africa

ABSTRACT Names and labels attributed to persons with albinism (PWA) in East, Central, and West Africa, reflect deeply rooted cultural beliefs, superstitions, and etiological and historical narratives. In these regions, the identity of the black PWA differs by his/her black/white duality – Black but not black, white but not White. Using Labelling and Symbolic Interactionism frameworks, we address three questions: (i) How are PWA named and labelled across East, Central, and West Africa? (ii) How can we categorise the predominant names and labels? (iii) How do these names and labels reflect socio-cultural conceptions, affect behaviour towards PWA, and contribute to the external construction of the identity of PWA? Principal categories emerge: supernatural affiliation, pigmentation, association with economic capital, vegetal and earth affiliations, zoosemic metaphors, and ambiguous/undetermined labels. These categories reflect cultural sentiments ranging from adulation to ostracisation, influencing social behaviour and identity construction. While some cultures regard PWA as celestial entities, others link them to curses or tragedy. Labels that commodify PWA render them targets for exploitation and violence, while vegetal, zoosemic, and ambiguous terminology contribute to alienation and identity crisis. This research demonstrates how cultural constructs of identity through language reinforce stigma and prejudice against PWA, worsening their social marginalisation.

Dynamics of the construction of agency and identity during the transition from primary to secondary school in students in Colombia / Dinámicas de construcción de agencialidad e identidad durante la transición de la primaria a la secundaria en estudiantes en Colombia

This study analyses the dynamics of the construction of agency and identity in one boy and one girl during the transitional period between primary and secondary school and the time when they embark on adolescence in a school in Colombia. Drawing from the principles of Grounded Theory, interviews and observations were conducted. The analysis applied a thematic and microgenetic analysis to identify issues in tension, functions, directions of change and dynamics of reflexivity and agency. The results showed a transformation of meanings and positionings in reflexivity on belonging to or being part of a social group at school, which mobilized the development of agency for both identifying and differentiating oneself. The agency<>reflexivity dynamics were articulated in identity construction processes in the midst of the challenges of school transitions and development. We discuss the findings and their implications in terms of changes and transformations to construct maps of agency development, as well as the possible discussions around the traditional Kantian educational models.

Travel influencers and their social identity: a phenomenological approach

ABSTRACT The role of travel influencers has become increasingly popular, having a significant impact on tourists and tourism businesses. Influencers negotiate and navigate challenges such as content quality and authenticity while fostering a sense of community and influencing industry standards. Little is known, however, about how travel influencers construct their social identities. Based on social identity theory, and by interviewing 19 Chinese travel influencers, this study developed the following three-stage representation of travel influencer social identity construction: ‘transformation’, ‘maintenance’, and ‘identity value presentation’. It makes significant contributions to extant tourism literature by providing unique insights into the construction process associated with the identities of travel influencers.

LGBTQ+ themed public art: promoting an expanded view on genders and advancing gender education

This essay explores the transformative role of LGBTQ+ themed public art in promoting an expanded view of genders and advancing gender education. By engaging with Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity, I want to stress how public art both serves as a medium for aesthetic expression and also acts as a crucial participant in the performative act of gender identity construction. From the vibrant defiance of rainbow crosswalks to the poignant narratives of the AIDS Memorial Quilt and the impactful murals by Keith Haring, LGBTQ+ themed public art challenges traditional gender roles and identities, offering alternative visions that resist binary classifications. These public artworks create inclusive spaces that foster community engagement, historical commemoration, and activism, effectively enhancing public pedagogy in gender education. By embedding diverse and non-normative expressions of gender and sexuality in public consciousness, such art prompts a reevaluation of societal norms, thereby contributing to a broader understanding and acceptance of gender diversity. This essay emphasizes the potential of LGBTQ+ -themed public art to serve as a dynamic medium for communicative pedagogy, manifesting its significance in shaping social consciousness and advancing the cause of gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights.

Identity Construction in Fan Community: An Analysis of Online Discourse among (G)I-DLE Fans in Mainland China on Sina Weibo

Fandom has become a social and cultural phenomenon reflecting practical activities in the fan community. The prevalence of social media and online fan communities has facilitated the transnational industries of Korean popular culture (K-pop) in mainland China. Fans are enthusiastic about creating posts dedicated to their idol(s) or music bands to broaden the influence of the celebrities and establish personal connections with them. The unique interaction patterns in the K-pop fan community reflect the process of fans’ identity identification and construction. This article explores how mainland fans employ discursive strategies to construct their identity and legitimize their behaviors on social media. A total of 80 posts in (G)I-DLE Super Topic made by mainland China netizens have been collected from Sina Weibo. The findings illustrate the construction of both individual and collective identities among fans, which are shaped by various contexts and different communicative purposes. Further analysis explores the potential impact of fans' identities within online communities on the K-pop market in mainland China.

Identity Construction in Fan Community: An Analysis of Online Discourse among (G)I-DLE Fans in Mainland China on Sina Weibo

Fandom has become a social and cultural phenomenon reflecting practical activities in the fan community. The prevalence of social media and online fan communities has facilitated the transnational industries of Korean popular culture (K-pop) in mainland China. Fans are enthusiastic about creating posts dedicated to their idol(s) or music bands to broaden the influence of the celebrities and establish personal connections with them. The unique interaction patterns in the K-pop fan community reflect the process of fans’ identity identification and construction. This article explores how mainland fans employ discursive strategies to construct their identity and legitimize their behaviors on social media. A total of 80 posts in (G)I-DLE Super Topic made by mainland China netizens have been collected from Sina Weibo. The findings illustrate the construction of both individual and collective identities among fans, which are shaped by various contexts and different communicative purposes. Further analysis explores the potential impact of fans' identities within online communities on the K-pop market in mainland China.

A CONSTRUÇÃO DA IDENTIDADE CULTURAL NA ERA DIGITAL

The construction of cultural identity in the digital era is a dynamic and multifaceted phenomenon, driven by technological advancement and globalization. The internet and social networks, as the main contemporary communication vehicles, play a central role in the formation of cultural identities, promoting interaction between people of different cultures and values. In this scenario, cultural identity is no longer static or limited to a geographic space, but becomes fluid, shaped by diverse experiences, including online and offline interactions. The digital age offers unlimited possibilities for cultural expression and recognition, allowing individuals and groups to share their traditions, beliefs and customs with a global audience. At the same time, this constant exposure to different cultures can generate tension between the preservation of local identities and the influence of a dominant global culture. Furthermore, cultural identity in the digital age is often negotiated, where individuals and communities choose which aspects of their culture they want to emphasize or adapt. However, this transformation can also generate challenges, such as cultural homogenization or the risk of cultural appropriation. Therefore, the construction of cultural identity in the digital age is a complex process that involves both the strengthening and transformation of cultural traditions. New digital platforms allow for greater democratization of cultural discourse, but they also pose challenges that need to be recognized and discussed, especially in relation to the preservation of cultural diversity.

‘Jij bent Chinese! Ik niet! (You are Chinese! I am not!)’: a case study of Chinese heritage language maintenance in the Netherlands

ABSTRACT This paper aims to reveal different stakeholders’ beliefs and opinions on heritage language maintenance and complementary schools in the Netherlands, namely those of parents, educators, and students. A case study was conducted at a Chinese school in the south of the Netherlands. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 respondents (N = 21) consisting of nine parents, eight educators, and four students. The results reveal that (1) Chinese parents value their children learning both Dutch and Mandarin due to economic, socio-cultural, and identity factors; (2) Heritage language maintenance is perceived by parents and educators as vital in ethnic grouping (sense of belonging), connection with the heritage culture, and for instrumental purposes. They also recognise Mandarin as a new diasporic linguistic standard replacing Cantonese; (3) Chinese parents view complementary schools as a platform to strengthen their ethnic bonding and community formation. Despite students’ perceptions of heritage language maintenance do not align with adults’ (parents and educators) views, their identity construction in complementary schools is in line with adults’ expectations.

Pronouns in Welcome: Linguistic Construction of Student Identity in Chinese University Banners

This study explores the nuanced role of pronoun usage in welcome banners at Chinese universities and examines its influence on freshmen’s identity construction within the cultural context of China. Employing a systematic collection and analysis of a corpus of welcome banners, the research utilizes corpus analysis and word frequency statistics to investigate how pronoun choices shape and reinforce freshmen’s sense of identity. The findings highlight the significant impact of linguistic subtleties on the orientation activities at Chinese universities, influencing freshmen’s social integration and identity formation. By illuminating the linguistic characteristics of Chinese welcome banners, this research provides empirical evidence of how cultural and linguistic contexts affect student identity through orientation activities. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the intersection between language, culture, and identity in higher education.

‘Happy Loong Year”: translating festive language into English in Shantou’s coffee shops

ABSTRACT Temporal markers provide unique opportunities for a community to revisit traditions, construct identity, and negotiate solidarity. The linguistic landscape (LL) encapsulating the celebration of the Chinese New Year, a momentous festival for both the Chinese community and people worldwide, presents a distinctive avenue for exploring the contestation and negotiation of diverse values and viewpoints in envisioning the future in the public sphere. The paper investigates the use of multilingual and multimodal resources to commemorate the Chinese New Year in Shantou’s coffee shops, revealing a diverse textual and visual narrative of celebration. In this process, socially constructed linguistic borders dissolve, facilitating the meshing and fusion of languages and enabling the reimagination, reinterpretation, and rewriting of the New Year. The juxtaposition of elements in differing linguistic and semiotic repertoires opens a dialogue, wherein values and traditions associated with the New Year are negotiated and reconstructed within the context of the evolving social attitudes and beliefs in post-pandemic Shantou.

“It Was Nice To Be Able To Talk to Them Like They Were Family.”: A Mexican American Preservice Teacher’s Testimonio

A large body of scholarship focuses on how to prepare White teachers to teach students of Color and guide them to make sense of their Whiteness. Using testimonio, this article adds diversity to teacher preparation literature and makes space for Kelly, a Mexican American preservice generalist teacher, to share her story. In particular, I highlight how her relationships and language ideology influence her ethnic identity construction while participating in the figured worlds of 1) her family, 2) personal K-12 schooling experience, and 3) pre-service student teaching experiences. Kelly’s testimonio is a call to subvert monoglossic language ideologies, value translanguaging, and ultimately prepare PSTs with the self-reflexive capacity to engage in linguistically responsive and sustaining pedagogy.

‘You're not supposed to be gay, you're black’: Analysing race and LGBTQ+ youth identity through an intersectional lens

AbstractIn this article, I build upon calls for an intersectional approach in sociocultural linguistic research – particularly in the context of language, gender and sexuality – which attends robustly to the question of race. Through the analysis of four moments of discourse between young LGBTQ+ people, I show how their queer positionality is informed and shaped by their experience as white or racialised youths. In doing so, I demonstrate the intra‐categorical nature of identity and the benefits of a ‘thick’ analytical approach which pays close attention to individual speakers’ positionalities. Furthermore, I argue for sociocultural linguistic research which honours the origins of intersectionality theory by accounting explicitly for the role of systemic racism and white privilege on speakers’ identity constructions.

Addressing diversity in flux: identity work, identity negotiation and intersectionality insights

PurposeDiversity management literature is at a crossroads with limitations in producing novel insights due to its heavy reliance on the etic approach and surface-level diversity. This paper reviews identity work, identity negotiation and intersectionality to propose an interdisciplinary lens that offers new insights and suggestions for future research that will advance the diversity management literature.Design/methodology/approachOur paper advances methods in the diversity management literature by reviewing interdisciplinary research using a dual approach: a bibliometric analysis of the vast literature examining 323 papers published between 1987 and 2023, supplemented by a summary review of the identified thematic clusters.FindingsThis study identified seven thematic clusters around identity construction, transformation and navigation processes. The study highlights significant research gaps in (1) context-specificity, (2) deep-level forms of diversity, (3) lack of focus on meso-level stakeholders, and most importantly (4) lack of focus on the interplay of micro-level and meso-level interactions.Originality/valueThis paper contributes in three ways. Firstly, it pioneers a dual approach to comprehending the research landscape on identity work, identity negotiation and intersectionality, employing bibliometric analysis and summary review. Secondly, with its interdisciplinary reach, it advocates for a more inclusive diversity management approach, exploring micro-meso-level interaction through new lenses. Lastly, it offers theoretical and practical contributions by proposing an integrated multiple lens to better address the challenges and tensions of an increasing diversity of the workforce.

Going against the grain? Appraising the aesthetic labour of male beauty influencers on Instagram

Despite the proliferation of scholarly studies on social media in recent years, not many have focused on male social media influencers in the beauty industry, which is often viewed as a feminine preserve with the vast majority of ‘beauty influencers’ being female. This study focuses on the discursive practices of two male beauty influencers to examine how their visual self-portrayal contributes to their popularity and influence. A total of 752 photographs collected from their Instagram accounts were examined using a visual appraisal framework adapted from Martin and White’s (2005) Appraisal Theory described in The Language of Evaluation, focusing on normality, capacity and authenticity. The authors’ findings show that both influencers, who are openly gay, portray themselves as gender norm transgressors whose performance of capacity and authenticity as social media celebrities is a highly contested and conflictual aspect of their identity construction as beauty influencers. These findings not only shed light on the visual discursive processes and practices through which beauty influencers perform their aesthetic labour to enhance their popularity and influence but they also contribute to our understanding of how they perpetuate mediatized and marketized stereotypes of beauty and being as part of the broader sociocultural phenomenon of the celebrification of social media influencers in contemporary society.

Tiger shikars: The Wodeyars’ construction of a Rajput identity through sport

Abstract This article explores the practice of the sport of tiger hunting among the Wodeyars, the maharajas of Mysore, through an examination of art, archival records, state gazetteers, and a tour diary of Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV. It argues that the Wodeyars only adopted the sport as an expression of kingship in the late nineteenth century, under British influence. This, I posit, was part of their larger attempt to align their kingship to more popular Indian modes, specifically the Rajputs. By reading accounts of the sport in Krishnaraja Wodeyar’s tour diary, along with examining the Wodeyars’ attempts at forging kinship relations with the Rajputs, the article demonstrates how the sport became crucial to the Wodeyars’ assertion of a Rajput identity and to attempts to obtain a higher position in the princely hierarchy of the colonial period. The recognition that the success of tiger hunts was significant to Rajput kingship and identity, along with rising concern over the diminishing tiger population, led the Wodeyars to enclose forests, establish private hunting preserves and a shikar department, and classify tiger as game in an attempt to improve the sport and make it exclusive.