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2022/2023

Sociology of Identity

Code: 101132 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2500262 Sociology OT 4 1

Contact

Name:
Esperanza Bielsa Mialet
Email:
esperanza.bielsa@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
catalan (cat)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
Yes
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites.

Objectives and Contextualisation

This module offers a sociological perspective on identity and its paradoxes, examining the centrality of the concept in contemporary society as well as the main criticisms that have been made to its academic use. The module provides basic tools for relating identity to the social nature of human beings, on the one hand, and investigates the social construction of identity in its various manifestations, on the other. The module starts with an analysis of the link between individual and society through classical authors such as Mead, Goffman and Elias, to then focus on the notions of collective identity that emerge from the end of the decade of 1960 with identity politics. A third block analyses the main criticism of the concept of identity and the need to redefine it in the current context. Finally, a fourth block proposes as an alternative a reflection on non-identity centered on the figure of the stranger, borders and the practice of translation.

Competences

  • Analysing the problems arising from the implementation of public policies and conflict situations by recognising the complexity of the social phenomena and political decisions affecting democracy, human rights, social justice and sustainable development.
  • Applying the concepts and approaches of the sociological theory, specially the explanations of social inequalities between classes, between genders and between ethnic groups, to the implementation of public policies and to the resolution of conflict situations.
  • Demonstrating a comprehension of the approaches of the sociological theory in its different aspects, interpretations and historical context.
  • Describing social phenomena in a theoretically relevant way, bearing in mind the complexity of the involved factors, its causes and its effects.
  • Developing self-learning strategies.
  • Effectively communicating the basic analysis of social phenomena in an elementary level of English.
  • Generating innovative and competitive proposals in research and professional activity.
  • Respecting the diversity and plurality of ideas, people and situations.
  • Searching for documentary sources starting from concepts.
  • Students must be capable of managing their own time, planning their own study, managing the relationship with their tutor or adviser, as well as setting and meeting deadlines for a work project.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Comparing the reading of cultural phenomena from several ideologies of the social reality of Spain and Catalonia.
  2. Defining the sociological concepts that interpret the cultural phenomena.
  3. Defining the underlying social phenomena of cultural policies and conflicts.
  4. Developing self-learning strategies.
  5. Distinguishing the explanations of cultural inequalities between classes, between genders and between ethnic groups that these actors take for granted.
  6. Distinguishing the sociological concepts about culture adopted by the actors involved in these policies and conflicts.
  7. Effectively communicating the basic analysis of social phenomena in an elementary level of English.
  8. Explaining the social interpretations of culture according to these approaches.
  9. Expressing the debates regarding these approaches, that refer to culture.
  10. Generating innovative and competitive proposals in research and professional activity.
  11. Relating the debates regarding these approaches, that refer to culture, with the historical context in which they emerged.
  12. Relating the explanations of cultural inequalities with general theoretical and methodological debates.
  13. Relating the theoretical approaches with debates about social order and action.
  14. Respecting the diversity and plurality of ideas, people and situations.
  15. Searching for documentary sources starting from concepts.
  16. Students must be capable of managing their own time, planning their own study, managing the relationship with their tutor or adviser, as well as setting and meeting deadlines for a work project.

Content

1. Introduction: Paradoxes of identity

2. Social being and self

Mead, socialization and self; Goffman, dramaturgy and negotiation of identity; Elias on identity: sociogenesis and psychogenesis; the body as a social instance.

3. Collective identity and identity politics

Politics of identity or politics of difference; multiculturalism and recognition; postcolonial perspectives on subalterm identities; trans identities.

4. Identity as a problem

Main criticisms of the concept of identity; postmodernism and the fragmentation of identities; flexible capitalism and identity; individualization and identity; hybrid identities; globalisation, mobility and identity; national and post-national identities.

5. Non-identity

The logic of identity; the stranger; borders; translation.

Methodology

Lectures.

Seminars.

Individual and small group tutorials.

Reading and presentation of texts.

Essay writing on a chosen topic.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Lectures and seminars 39 1.56 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 12, 14
Type: Supervised      
Individual or small group tutorials 8 0.32 15, 4, 10, 16, 14
Type: Autonomous      
Reading, essay writing, revising 70 2.8 15, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 16, 11, 13, 12, 14

Assessment

The module will be assessed as follows:

1) Seminar presentation on a text. The organization and assessment criteria will be explained in class and publicized through the virtual campus. Individual. 15% of the final mark.

2) Writing of an original essay, based on a chosen topic from a proposed list. Individual. 35% of the final mark.

3) Written examination. A written exam will take place at the end of the module. Individual. 50% of the final mark.

Please consider the following:

a) The nature of the module and the method of assessment make regular attendance of lectures and seminars essential.

b) The smooth functioning of the course will depend on students presenting their work and delivering their essays on the set date.

c) The mark of 'Not evaluable ' means not having been assessed in one or in any of the three components mentioned above.

d) Students that obtain a rating equal to or above3.5and lower than 5 are entitled to participate in a retake exam, to be held shortly after the publication of the marks. Students who take this exam and pass, will get a grade of 5. If the student does not pass the retake, the grade will remain unchanged. 

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is using the work of others as if it were your own. All written work must be your own work. Whenever you make use of books, articles, internet pages or any other material, you must make this clear by the appropriate use of references and, where a passage is cited word by word, by the use of quotation marks. Plagiarism is a serious offence and is regarded in the same light as cheating on examinations. Plagiarism will result in a mark of 0, not being allowed to participate in the exam, and a global mark of 'Not evaluable'.

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Essay 35% 20 0.8 15, 1, 7, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 16, 11, 13, 12, 14
Presentation 15% 10 0.4 15, 2, 4, 8, 9, 13, 14
Written examination 50% 3 0.12 15, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 16, 11, 13, 12, 14

Bibliography

Supplementary bibliography

Introductions and general works

Bielsa, E. 2018 ‘Identity’, a O. Carbonell and S.A. Harding (eds), Routledge Handbook of Translation and Culture, 2018, pp. 48-60.

Brekhus, W.H. 2020 The Sociology of Identity, Cambridge: Polity Press.

Elliott, A. (ed) 2011 Routledge Handbook of Identity Studies, London and New York: Routledge.

Elliott, A. 2016 Identity Troubles, London and New York: Routledge.

Hall, S. 1996 'Introduction: Who Needs ‘Identity’?' in S. Hall and P. Du Gay (eds) Questions of Cultural Identity, London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi: Sage.

Jenkins, R. 2014 Social Identity, Fourth ed., London and New York: Routledge.

Moran, M. 2015 Identity and Capitalism, London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi: Sage.

 

Social being and self

Elias, N. 2000 La sociedad de los individuos, Barcelona: Península.

Elias, N. 1989 El proceso de la civilización: investigaciones sociogenéticas y psicogenéticas, Ciudad de México: Fondo de Cultura Económica.

Goffman, E. 2008 Estigma: la identidad deteriorada, Buenos Aires: Amorrortu.

Goffman, E. 1981 La presentación de la persona en la vida cotidiana, Buenos Aires: Amorrortu.

Mead, G.H. 1982 Espíritu, persona y sociedad: desde el punto de vista del conductismo social, Barcelona: Paidos.

Young, I.M. 2005 On Female Body Experience. ‘Throwing Like a Girl’ and Other Essays, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

 

Collective identity and identity politics

Anderson, B. 1993 Comunidades imaginadas, Ciudadde México: Fondo de Cultura Económica.

Baldwin, J. 1993 The Fire Next Time, New York: Vintage.

Brubaker, R. 2016 Trans, Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Butler, J. 2007 El género en disputa : el feminismo y la subversión de la identidad, Barcelona: Paidós. 

Currah, P. 2022 Sex Is as Sex Does. Governing Transgender Identity, New York: New York University Press.

Davies, E.B. 2018 Third Wave Feminism and Transgender, London and New York: Routledge.

Delanty, G. 2018 Community Third ed., London i New York: Routledge.

Delanty, G. i O’Mahony, P. 2002 Nationalism and Social Theory, London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi: Sage.

Fanon, F. 2009 Piel negra, máscaras blancas, Madrid: Akal.

Fernández Retamar, R. 1995 Calibán, Lleida: Edicions de la Universitat de Lleida.

Fraser, N. i Honneth, A. 2003 Redistribution or Recognition?, London and New York: Verso.

Gellner, E. 1988 Naciones y nacionalismo, Madrid: Alianza.

Go, J. 2013 'Fanon’s Postcolonial Cosmopolitanism', European Journal of Social Theory 16(2): p.208–225. 

Hall, S. 1990 'Cultural Identity and Diaspora' in Identity: Community, Culture, Difference, London: Lawrence & Wishart.

Kymlicka, W. 1995 Multicultural Citizenship, Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Kymlicka, W. 2001 Politics in the Vernacular. Nationalism, Multiculturalism, and Citizenship, Oxford i New York: Oxford University Press.

Lloyd, M. 2005 Beyond Identity Politics, London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi: Sage.

Modood, T., A. Triandafyllidou, i R. Zapata-barrero. 2006. Multiculturalism , Muslims and Citizenship. London i New York: Routledge.

Modood, T. 2013. Multiculturalism. Second edi. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Nicholson, L. 2008 Identity Before Identity Politics, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Stryker, S. 2017 Transgender History, Revised ed, New York: Seal Press.

Taylor, C. 1994 'The Politics of Recognition' a A. Gutmann (ed) Multiculturalism. Examining the Politics of Recognition, Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Young, I.M. 1990 Justice and the Politics of Difference, Princeton: Princeton University Press.

 

Identity as a problem

Aguilera, A. 2015 'Insuficiencias del reconocimiento para una apertura cosmopolita al otro', Papers. Revista de Sociologia 100(3): p.325–344.

Balibar, E. 2003 Nosotros, ¿ciudadanos de Europa? Madrid: Tecnos.

Bauman, Z. 1996 'From Pilgrim to Tourist - or a Short History of Identity' a S. Hall i P. du Gay (eds) Questions of Cultural Identity, London: Sage.

Bauman, Z. 2009 'Identity in the Globalizing World' in A. Elliott and P. du Gay (eds) Identity in Question, Los Angeles, London, New Delhi: Sage.

Beck, U. 2005, La mirada cosmopolita o la guerra es la paz, Barcelona: Paidós.

Beck, U. 2006, La Europa cosmopolita, Barcelona: Paidós.

Beck, U. 2012, Una Europa alemana, Barcelona: Paidós.

Beck, U. y Beck-Gernsheim, E. 2003 La individualización, Barcelona: Paidós.

Beck, U. y Beck-Gernsheim, E. 2012 Amor a distancia, Barcelona: Paidós.

Benhabib, S. 2002 The Claims of Culture, Princeton and Oxford:Princeton University Press.

Brubaker, R. i Cooper, F. 2000 'Beyond ‘ identity ’', Theory and Society 29(1): p.1–47.

Delanty, G. 2003. “Is There a European Identity?” Global Dialogue; Summer 5(34).

Delanty, G. 2006. “The Cosmopolitan Imagination: Critical Cosmopolitanism and Social Theory.” The British Journal of Sociology 51(1):25–47.

Delanty, G. 2018 The European Heritage, London and New York: Routledge.

Delanty, G. i C. Rumford. 2005. Rethinking Europe: Social Theory and the Implications of Europeanization. London and New York: Routledge.

Elliott, A. and du Gay, P. (eds) 2009 Identity in Question, London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi: Sage.

Habermas, J. 1999 La inclusión del otro, Barcelona: Paidós.

Habermas, J, 2000 La constelación posnacional, Barcelona: Paidós. (Part II)

Habermas, J, 2009 ¡Ay, Europa! Madrid: Trotta.

Habermas, J. 2013 La constitución de Europa, Madrid: Trotta.

Papastergiadis, N. 2010 'Understanding Hybrid Identities: From Mechanical Models to Complex Systems', World Futures 66: p.243–265.

Schiller, N.G., Darieva, T. i Gruner-Domic, S. 2011 'Defining cosmopolitan sociability in a transnational age. An introduction', Ethnic and Racial Studies 34(3): p.399–418.

Kymlicka, W. 2010 'The rise and fall of multiculturalism? New debates on inclusion and accommodation in diverse societies', International Social Science Journal 199: p.97–112.

Nussbaum, M. 2002 For Love of Country?, Boston: Beacon Press.

Sennett, R. 1975 Vida urbana e identidad personal: los usosdel desorden, Barcelona: Península.

Sennett, R. 2000 La corrosión del carácter, Barcelona: Anagrama.

Young, I.M. 2000 Inclusion and Democracy, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Cap 3.

Vertovec, S. 2010 'Towards Post-multiculturalism? Changing Communities, Conditions and Contexts of Diversity', International Social Science Journal 199: p.83–95.

Vertovec, S. 2007 'Super-diversity and its implications', Ethnic and Racial Studies 30(6): p.1024–1054. 

 

Non-identity

Agier, Michel. 2016. Borderlands. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Balibar, É. 2006. “Strangers as Enemies : Further Reflections on the Aporias of Transnational Citizenship.” Globalization Working Papers. Université de Paris-X Nanterre and University of California, Irvine (06/4).

Balibar, E. 2010 'At the Borders of Citizenship: A Democracy in Translation?', European Journal of Social Theory 13(3): p.315–322. 

Beck, U. 2007 'Cómo los vecinos se convierten en judíos . La construcción política del extraño en una era de modernidad reflexiva', Papers. Revista de sociologia 84: p.47–66.

Bielsa, E. 2016 Cosmopolitanism and Translation. Investigations into the Experience of the Foreign, London i New York: Routledge. Cap. 2 i 3

Bielsa, E. i Aguilera A. 2017 ‘Cosmopolitismo y política de la traducción’, Revista Internacional de Sociología, 75(2).

Caneda, M.T. 2008 'Polyglot Voices, Hybrid Selves and Foreign Identities: Translation as a Paradigm of Thought for Modernism', Journal of the Spanish Association of Anglo-American Studies 30(June): p.53–67.

Cronin, M. 2006 Translation and Identity, London i New York: Routledge.

Derrida, J. 1992 El otro cabo, Madrid: Ediciones del Serbal.

Espluga, J. 2005 Planeta Franja, Lleida: Pagès editors.

Ivekovic, R. 2005 'Transborder Translating', Eurozine: p.1–10. Available at: www.eurozine.com.

Izaola, A. i Zubero, I. 2015 'La cuestión del otro: forasteros, extranjeros, extraños y monstruos', Papers. Revista de Sociologia; Vol 100, No 1 (2015) 9004: p.105–129.

Leal, A. 2021 English and Translation in the European Union, London and New York: Routledge.

Mezzadra, S. i Brett N. 2013. Border as Method, Or, the Multiplication of Labor. Durham i Londres: Duke University Press.

Mignolo, W. 2000 ‘The Many Faces of Cosmo-polis: Border Thinking and Critical Cosmopolitanism’, Public Culture, 12(3), pp. 721–748.

Mignolo, W.D. and Schiwy, F. 2003 ‘Double Translation: Transculturation and the Colonial Difference’, in Maranhâo, T. and Streck, B. (eds) Translation and Ethnography, Tucson: University of Arizona Press, pp. 3–29.

Mignolo, W.D. and Tlostanova, M. V. 2006 ‘Theorizing from the borders: Shifting to geo- and body-politics of knowledge’, Journal of Asian and African Studies, 41(3), pp. 205–221.

Rumford, C. 2014. Cosmopolitan Borders. Palgrave Macmillan.

Rumford, C. 2008. Cosmopolitan Spaces. London and New York: Routledge.

Saito, N. 2009 'Beyond Monolingualism: Philosophy as Translation and the Understanding of other cultures', Ethics and Education 4(2): p.131–139.

Sakai, N. 2006 'Translation', Theory, Culture & Society 23(2-3): p.71–78.

Sakai, N. 1997 Translation and Subjectivity, Minneapolis and London: University of Minnesota Press.

Sennett, R. 2011 The Foreigner. Two Essays on Exile, London: Notting Hill Editions.

Simmel, G., Schütz, A. i Elias, N. 2012 El extranjero. Sociología del extraño, Madrid: Ediciones Sequitur.

Simon, S. 1996 Gender in Translation, London and New York: Routledge.

Snell-Hornby, M. 2000 'Communicating in the Global Village: On Language, Translation and Cultural Identity' in C. Schäffner (ed) Translation in the Global Village, Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

Vidal, Á. 2015 'Traducir al atravesado', Papers. Revista de Sociologia 100(3): p.345–382.

Vidal, Á. 2012 'Jo també sóc catalana: Najat El Hachmi, una vida traducida', Quaderns. Revista de Traducció19: p.237–250.

Software

None.