This edited collection brings together social scientists to interpret identity from a wide range of analytical perspectives. Drawing on multiple interpretive traditions from the last 100 years, the book explores how underlying social, cultural and psychological forces shape the dimensions of identity.

Chapters emphasize how identity forms and functions in relation to key sociological issues such as social power, social control and the production and reproduction of social inequalities. Contributors also explore the flexibility of identities, showcasing how different perspectives and analytical tools reveal the nuances of rejected, unrealized and aspirational identities. By navigating these dimensions, the book reveals the interplay between personal biography and broader social life.