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Navigating Multiple Identities: The Simultaneous Influence of Advantaged and Disadvantaged Identities on Politicization and Activism
Author(s) -
Curtin Nicola,
Kende Anna,
Kende Judit
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of social issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.618
H-Index - 122
eISSN - 1540-4560
pISSN - 0022-4537
DOI - 10.1111/josi.12166
Subject(s) - disadvantaged , privilege (computing) , identity (music) , feeling , sociology , gender studies , solidarity , social identity theory , social psychology , political science , social group , psychology , law , politics , physics , acoustics
Most identity‐based models of activism assume that action is motivated either by a disadvantaged identity (predicting own‐group activism), or a feeling of solidarity with disadvantaged groups (predicting ally activism). They do not account for advantaged and disadvantaged identifications within the same person. Yet many activists have both advantaged and disadvantaged identities. Two interview studies from Hungary and the United States ( N = 47) were used to examine how both disadvantaged and advantaged identities influence politicization and activism (both own‐group and ally), via both direct and indirect experiences of marginalization and privilege. We also discuss the emergence of new identities from activist engagements and how such new activist identities recursively influence activism and politicization. We conclude our analysis by arguing that identity‐based organizations may be more successful emphasizing multiple and intersecting identities and the structural aspects of disadvantages rather than singular disadvantaged identities.