International Journal of Linguistics & Communication

Environments and Raw Materials of Identity Fabrication: A Communication-Ecological Account of Politicized Uses of Collective Identities
Robin Kurilla

Abstract
Contextualizing the results of a recently completed extensive study on the fabrication of collective identities and group identities, this paper traces the politicized uses of collective identities from a communication-ecological point of view. Identity construction is depicted as composed of emergent social processes with communicative, pre-communicative, and non-communicative episodes that distill their components from different environments. Practical identities are distinguished from objectified identities. Collective identities are portrayed as the raw materials for the fabrication of group identities and individual identities. Three examples help to illustrate the political dimensions of collective identities. The paper concludes by hinting at the social-theoretical implications of the outlined production model of identity construction.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/ijlc.v7n2p1