Politics of Identity Exploring the relevance and salience of identity as a political concept within contemporary American politics

2020

Master´s thesis in English (EN501). This thesis examines how politics became identity and how politicized identities are shaping contemporary American politics. Identity as a political concept in the Western sphere evolved by virtue of our human thymotic desire to be recognized and dignified by other people. Identity as a political phenomenon rests on the belief of individuals and their surrounding society that there exists a true inner self in all of us that is both entitled to and worthy of recognition and dignity. The struggle to have that true inner self recognized was inaugurated by Martin Luther’s reconnaissance of the inner chambers of the self and moved to the social and political s…