Is there anything that has no identity? If we limit our survey to the English-
speaking world, the answer is probably ‘no’; but if we shift the focus of our
attention a little, it appears that in other parts of the world identity is not equally
topical. For instance, the Chinese word shēnfèn (‘identity’) refers to the social or
legal status of a person, not to larger social units. In postcolonial contexts,
discussions about identity have a paradoxical flavour when, in the name of
identity, imposed ethnic identities are rejected, as a remnant of the Western
domination of the world.
Identity, like all social science categories, is a Western product. This is not to say
that it is just a fad, but the ubiquity of identity in Western societies is indicative
of its historical contingency as a concept that appeared at a certain time in a
certain cultural environment. The intellectual significance of the term ‘identity’
has not always been as weighty as it is at present. As the concept is understood
nowadays, it is first of all rooted in the ideology of the French and American
revolutions that celebrated the dignity and equality of the individual. Principles
such as one man, one vote, equality before the law, and human rights hinge on
the autonomous individual with his or her personal identity. From this
individualistic origin, the notion of identity was transferred to collectivities
delimited by various shared features, both predetermined and adopted, that
claimed a selfhood worth sustaining. In this way, a contradiction emerged that is
inherent in the egalitarian democratic idea, that is, obvious inequality in the face
of postulated equality.
The topicality of identity is, among other things, a response to this unresolved
contradiction, and the preoccupation with it of scholars in diverse fields is part of
a general trend in Western societies that goes beyond the confines of academia.
The identity wave comes from many sources. It has inspired new insights, but, as
we will see, it is also dangerous and carries many substances that pollute the
environment.
Core meaning
These preliminary observations suggest that surely the question ‘What exactly is
identity?’ does not have a single answer. This stems from the fact that the word
‘identity’ is both a technical term of various scientific disciplines and a
catchword promiscuously used in ordinary discourse. Words for ‘identity’ in
other European languages are similarly adaptable. In fact, with some odd