Demichev I.V., Sultanova G.D. Identity as a Sociocultural Phenomenon
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15688/lp.jvolsu.2017.3.6
Ilya V. Demichev
Candidate of Philosophical Sciences, Researcher at the Center of Sociocultural Analysis,
Institute of Strategic Research of Republic Bashkortostan
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Kirova St., 15, 450008 Ufa, Russian Federation
Gulfina D. Sultanova
Junior Researcher at the Center of Sociocultural Analysis,
Institute of Strategic Research of Republic Bashkortostan
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Kirova St., 15, 450008 Ufa, Russian Federation
Abstract. This article is devoted to the analysis of identity as a sociocultural phenomenon related to the nature and functioning of socio-cultural communities and their institutional and discursive organization. Based on consideration of the extensive amount of scientific literature notion of identity is interpreted as “self – and mutual representation of a person or group on the basis of which their correlation with the entity of a higher order takes place”. In the structure of identity there are the following elements: retainer, fixed image; the complex of social, cultural and material markers of attributes; a set of behaviors and communication; forms of solidarity. Reproduction of identity is caused by the operation of the special institutional and discursive structures that are rigidly tied to the specific organization of socio-cultural communities simultaneously being common to its structure and current processes. Based on this, the general logical model of functioning of socio-cultural identities complex of community is considered, where there are the following evaluation criteria of estimating its efficiency of internal and external character. This is, firstly, the degree of reflexivity of the content of the identity which determines the meaningfulness and significance of the plants of the identity of the representatives of the respective community; the prevalence of identity among members of the community; the degree of connectivity of elements and options of this identity between them. Secondly, the degree of security of the reproduction of identity in institutional and discursive terms; the degree of complementarity of the identity with the other elements of the system – assessed the level of mutual compliance, cash identities in a sociocultural system; the degree of conflict – on the contrary, the level of mutual inconsistency and rejection between this identity and other elements of the system. It then discusses the relationship and interaction of selected criteria, which form the logic structure of the entire system of identities of the community. External and internal criteria are interlinked and mutually affect each other: for example, weak reflexivity of identity means as a lack of structural security as the lack of cohesion of its units. However, this effect is not clear – weak reflexivity of identity can as enhance its complementarity with other identities in the system because it has less rigid settings as to increase its conflict since fewer settigs can have a greater emotional intensity among carriers of identity.
Key words: identity, definition of identity, collective identities, institutional and discursive structures, criteria of identity, identity dynamics.
Identity as a Sociocultural Phenomenon by Demichev I.V., Sultanova G.D. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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