ABSTRACT

The idea that identities are signs is not a new one. One of the first mentions of the sign nature of identity is by the Norwegian anthropologist Fredrik Barth, who argues that such particulars as language, dress, lifestyle, etc. function as signs or signals "that people look for and exhibit to show identity". If identity communication is about exchanging messages about identities, it is important to know why humans do this, what the purpose of identity communication is, and what functions it fulfills in society. This chapter summarizes the main characteristics of identity communication: people use collective identities as signs to reduce uncertainty and exercise power over situations and other people. Collective identity as a sign is a shared macro-level mental representation, similar in nature to words in a human language. The meanings of collective identities are like the meanings of words: communication is possible because people assume that they have similar understandings of the meanings of words.