ABSTRACT
This chapter answers the question of how is the idea of individual identity articulated within contemporary discourses of surveillance in the UK by identifying cross-discursive regularities and points of antagonism, and by laying out a schema of identity. This shows how identity is articulated in governmental surveillance discourses as ontologically objective, unitary, physical, shallow, behavioural, attributed, persistent and socially vulnerable. Identity is constructed as a set of institutional reputations mediated through specific types of personal information disclosed to the formal institutions of structured society. The chapter focuses on role of identity as contested signifier, form rather than content of identity. It attempts to set out the ontology of identity for this political rationality. This concept of identity is not only concept of identity in governmental discourse but this model can be understood as the governmental surveillant identity. Dean highlights the importance of understanding the 'field of visibility' of governmental thought; what can be seen and understood within 'thought made technical'.
