Competing Identity Management

This chapter outlines an integrative framework of identity research from social psychology and the sociology of culture to develop a conceptualization of competing identity management. Using an integrated methodology for observing and analyzing identity management strategies, the chapter highlights the mechanisms by which competing social and role identities are managed by legal professionals in Operation Streamline. Most centrally, the conceptualization of competing identity management integrates the traditions of role identity—identities such as one's occupation—with social identity theory—which are based on group memberships such as race/ethnicity, citizenship/generational status, and gender. Other identity literatures, such as cultural approaches to dealing with the enactment of identity, are also included.