Social Symptoms of Identity Needs: Why We Have Failed to Solve Our Social Problems and What to do About It

by Mark Bracher

Overview

Explains how our major social problems, including crime, violence, terrorism, war, substance abuse, and prejudice, are the result of efforts by their perpetrators to maintain a secure identity, or sense of self. It locates the root causes of these social problems and counterproductive responses in certain identity-damaging social and cultural phenomena that force identity to defend and maintain itself by socially harmful means.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780429919336
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	04/17/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	316
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Bracher, Mark

Table of Contents

Preface -- Identity and the Causes of Social Problems -- Introduction -- The nature of identity and its role in social problems -- Social Problems as Symptoms of Identity Needs -- Delinquency, crime, and violence -- Terrorism and war -- The Role of Identity in the Failure to Solve Social Problems -- Phobic objects, subalterns, and enemies as resources for identity maintenance -- Identity-damaging social and cultural forces -- Social Change and Identity Development -- Promoting benign identity contents -- Decommissioning harmful defences -- Promoting identity integration -- Promoting more inclusive identity structures -- Conclusion -- Psychological symptoms as expressions of identity needs -- Multiple self-motives and self-esteem