Approaches to Social Identity

Rationale and Purpose of the Module: For students to develop an understanding of the different theoretical approaches to the study of social identities in psychology as compared to those in other disciplines To introduce students to the range of epistemologies and methodologies employed in social psychological research and to outline the implications of these for the discipline of psychology more generally.

Syllabus: The Social Identity approach in social psychology originated in an interdisciplinary effort to explain large-scale intergroup conflict. Drawing upon sociology, social anthropology and social cognition it aimed to provide a comprehensive account of intergroup relations from the individual perspective to the group level. However, in the four decades since its inception the Social Identity approach has become overwhelmingly cognitive and experimental in focus and lost links with other disciplines and methodologies. This module places the Social Identity perspective in its historical context and introduces students to cognate theories and methods elsewhere in social psychology and in other disciplines with a view to enriching their understanding of social psychology. Topics include: evolution of the Social Identity approach; advances in Self Categorisation Theory; discursive approaches to social identities; ethnography and displays of identity; approaches to national identity.