Identity
Coversations With Benedetto Vecchi
Themes for the 21st Century Series

1. Edition June 2004
140 Pages, Hardcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
This topical new book by Zygmunt Bauman explores the notion of
identity in the modern world.
As we grapple with the insecurity and uncertainty of liquid
modernity, Bauman argues that our socio-political, cultural,
professional, religious and sexual identities are undergoing a
process of continual transformation. Identities the world over have
become more precarious than ever: we live in an era of constant
change and disposability - whether it's last season's outfit,
or car, or even partner - and our identities as a result have
become transient and deeply elusive. In a world of rapid global
change where national borders are increasingly eroded, our
identities are in a state of continuous flux.
Identity - a notion that by its very nature is elusive and
ambivalent - has become a key concept for understanding the
changing nature of social life and personal experience in our
contemporary, liquid modern age. In this brief book, Zygmunt Bauman
explains compellingly why this is so.
Identity 9
Notes 99
Index 102
fighting spirit."
-- The Guardian
"This is an enjoyable and instructive read in an accessible
language and a pocket format."
-- International Journal of Contemporary
Sociology
Leeds and the University of Warsaw.
Benedetto Vecchi is a journalist and Editor of the
Italian newspaper Il Manifesto