Understanding Identity: A Multi-Paradigmatic Approach

$230.00

Kavous Ardalan, PhD – Marist College, New York, USA

Series: Social Issues, Justice and Status
BISAC: SOC000000; POL042000; PHI004000
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52305/NOSE7303

This book is about understanding identity through a multi-paradigmatic approach. For this purpose, the book starts with a discussion of the four most diverse worldviews or paradigms (i.e., functionalist, interpretive, radical humanist, radical structuralist). Then, it discusses identity and several aspects of it (i.e., human nature, identity, place attachment, nationalism, racism, feminism, discrimination, multiculturalism) from the viewpoints of the four most diverse worldviews or paradigms. The book concludes by recommending paradigm diversity.

The book crosses two existing lines of literature; social philosophy on the one hand and identity on the other hand. The main theme of the book is as follows, social theory can usually be conceived in terms of four key paradigms: functionalist, interpretive, radical humanist, and radical structuralist. The four paradigms are founded upon different assumptions about the nature of social science and the nature of society. Each paradigm generates theories, concepts, and analytical tools which are different from those of other paradigms. The book emphasizes that the four views expressed are equally scientific and informative; each look at the phenomenon under consideration from a certain paradigmatic viewpoint. An understanding of different paradigms leads to a more comprehensive and a more balanced understanding of the multi-faceted nature of the subject matter. In the end, the book concludes by recommending paradigm diversity.

This book is unique in the sense that it is: (1) systematic and methodic, (2) fundamental and applied, (3) multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary, (4) multi-dimensional and multi-perspectival, (5) fair and unbiased, and (6) it is enlightening.

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Table of Contents

Preface

References

About the Authors

Chapter 1. Four Paradigms
I. Functionalist Paradigm
II. Interpretive Paradigm
III. Radical Humanist Paradigm
IV. Radical Structuralist Paradigm
References

Chapter 2.  Human Nature: Four Paradigmatic Views
I. Functionalist View
II. Interpretive View
III. Radical Humanist View
IV. Radical Structuralist View
References

Chapter 3.  Identity: Four Paradigmatic Views
I. Functionalist View
I.1. External Social Structure and the Structure of Self
I.2. Internal Mechanisms
I.3. Putting Together the Two Strands
II. Interpretive View
III. Radical Humanist View
IV. Radical Structuralist View
References

Chapter 4.  Place Attachment: Four Paradigmatic Views
I. Functionalist View
II. Interpretive View
III. Radical Humanist View
IV. Radical Structuralist View
IV.1. The Theory of Accumulation
IV.2. Annihilation of Space by Time
Appendix
Place Attachment
I.1. The Person Dimension: Individual and Collective Place Attachment
I.2. The Psychological Process Dimension of Place Attachment
I.3. The Place Dimension of Place Attachment
References

Chapter 5.  Nationalism: Four Paradigmatic Views
I. Functionalist View
II. Interpretive View
III. Radical Humanist View
IV. Radical Structuralist View
References

Chapter 6. Racism: Four Paradigmatic Views
I. Functionalist View
II. Interpretive View
III. Radical Humanist View
III.1. Critical Race Theory
III.2. Neo-Marxism
IV. Radical Structuralist View
References

Chapter 7. Feminism: Four Paradigmatic Views
I. Functionalist View
II. Interpretive View
III. Radical Humanist View
IV. Radical Structuralist View
References

Chapter 8. Discrimination: Four Paradigmatic Views
I. Functionalist View
I.1. Tastes for Discrimination
I.2. Employer Discrimination
I.3. Employee Discrimination
I.4. Customer Discrimination
I.5. Statistical Discrimination
II. Interpretive View
II.1. Essentialism and Social Construction
III. Radical Humanist View
III.1. Four Modes of Inequality
III.2. Four Practices of Inequality
III.3. Myths as the Cultural Support of Inequality
IV. Radical Structuralist View
IV.1. Prevalence of Labor Market Segmentation
References

Chapter 9. Multiculturalism: Four Paradigmatic Views
I. Functionalist View
II. Interpretive View.
III. Radical Humanist View
IV. Radical Structuralist View.
References

Chapter 10. Paradigm Diversity
I. Remark 1: Multi-Paradigmatic Approach and Scholarly Research
II. Remark 2: Multi-Paradigmatic Approach and Monoculturalism-Multiculturalism
II.1. Dual-Process Social Psychology
II.2. Monoculturalism and Multiculturalism
III. Remark 3: Multi-Paradigmatic Approach and Identity Politics
III.1. A Comprehensive Approach to Social Change
References

Index

Author’s ORCID iD

Kavous Ardalan – 0000-0003-0860-4178

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