Identity

In an interconnected world, identities — religion, ethnicity, gender, class, nation — are politically salient. They shape rights debates and sometimes fuel conflict. The links to Rights & justice are strong enough that most identity cases can be argued from either direction.

Where to look

• Religion and Bhutan's democratic transition.
• LGBTQ+ marches in Eastern and Central Europe — norms shifting, and being resisted.
• Class identity in South Africa — the changing role of organised labour.
• Race and incarceration in the USA — profiling and its effects.
• National identity in Hungary — mobilization through government narratives.

Concepts this challenge pulls on

Legitimacy — identity is one of the oldest sources of a right to rule — and constructivism, which is the theory best equipped to explain why identities change.

Connections worth making

Equality — identity categories are how inequality gets organised. Borders — national identity and territorial borders reinforce each other. Technology — platforms amplify identity claims and the backlash to them.