Rethinking Identity in Political Science

Abstract

Political science engages similar types of identity on different terms. There are extensive literatures describing phenomena related to national, ethnic, class, and gender identity; however, these literatures in isolation give us little insight into broader political mechanics of identity itself. Furthermore, many of the theoretical approaches to identity in political science tend to proceed from the macro-level, without conceptualizing its building blocks. How should we conceptualize and operationalize identity in political science? In this article, we examine the existing literature on identity in ethnic politics, nationalism studies, and gender politics to show this disconnect in conceptualizing identity across research agendas. We then provide an integrated model of identity, focusing on how gradations of visibility, conceptualization, and recognition form the basis of claims and conflicts about the politics of identity. We conclude by elucidating a path to overcoming these issues by opening space for a rethinking of identity in political science.

Collaboration in a polarized context: lessons from public forest governance in the American West

“…Achieving balanced representation thus requires attention to how stakeholders identify and which aspects of their identity drive their behavior in the CGR. Static or one-dimensional conceptualizations of identity groups, such as user-group affiliations, may not be instructive for defining diversity in collaborative settings (Weiner and Tatum 2020). Partisan identities can also be in danger of oversimplification, as Republican or Democratic affiliation would not capture the types of partisan identities that shaped participation.…”

“…Amid conditions of polarization, partisan identity becomes a dominant cultural identity, such that engagement in politics or policy processes does not have the cognitive flexibility and agency valued in democratic participation (Ruckelhaus 2022). Identity is a complex concept with distinct definitions and theorizations across disciplines (Weiner and Tatum 2020). We define identity as the mixture of cognitive, relational, and symbolic attachments that together create an operable self-conception that can be mutually recognized to inform social groups (Ruckelhaus 2022).…”

“…We define identity as the mixture of cognitive, relational, and symbolic attachments that together create an operable self-conception that can be mutually recognized to inform social groups (Ruckelhaus 2022). Identity is not one-dimensional or static and can be contextdependent (Weiner and Tatum 2020). In the current era of polarization, other dimensions (e.g., ethnic, socioeconomic class) of cultural identities are mutable to align with partisan identity (Egan 2020).…”

What Kind of Identity is Partisan Identity? “Social” versus “Political” Partisanship in Divided Democracies

“…I begin by defining the notion of identity—a notoriously tricky concept used variously across empirical social science, philosophy, and political theory (Weiner and Tatum 2020). One conceptual core, though, is a focus on mutual recognition and a shared understanding that some group contains members of the same kind.…”