Few things are as interesting to us as our own bodies and, by extension, our own identities. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the relationship between the body, environment and society. Reflecting upon these developments, this book examines the role of the body in human identification, in the forging of identities, and the ways in which it embodies our social worlds. The approach is integrative, taking a uniquely biological perspective and reflecting on current discourse in the social sciences. With particular reference to bioarchaeology and forensic science, the authors focus on the construction and categorisation of the body within scientific and popular discourse, examining its many tissues, from the outermost to the innermost, from the skin to DNA. Synthesising two, traditionally disparate, strands of research, this is a valuable contribution to research on human identification and the embodiment of identity.

The present volume includes the Proceedings of The 14 th International ‘Culture and Power’ Conference, organized by the University of Castilla-La Mancha and held in Ciudad Real, Spain, between 22 and 24 March, 2010 under the auspices of The Iberian Association for Cultural Studies (IBACS). The collection incorporates a selection of the papers presented. The conference revolved around the topic of ‘identity’ and ‘identification’, which, in the contributions, is explored in various cultural products across a wide range of social and national contexts. Identity and identification processes are examined as interrelated with other social and cultural dimensions. Readings echo a multiplicity of theoretical approaches, the number of issues contemplated being representative of the relevance of identity and identification processes as crucial analytical perspectives for cultural studies today.

Can a state empower its citizens by classifying them? Or do reservation policies reinforce the very categories they are meant to eradicate? Indian reservation policies on government jobs, legislative seats and university admissions for disadvantaged groups, like affirmative action policies elsewhere, are based on the premise that recognizing group distinctions in society is necessary to subvert these distinctions. Yet the official identification of eligible groups has unintended side-effects on identity politics. Bridging theories which emphasize the fluidity of identities and those which highlight the utility of group-based mobilizations and policies, this book exposes didactic enforcement of categorizations, while recognizing the social and political gains facilitated by group-based strategies.

How do people identify with organizations? What role does organizational identity play in organizational strategy? Identity in Organizations investigates the fundamental character of organizational identity and individual identification with an organization. Through the use of an unconventional, conversational format the reader is drawn into a provocative discussion among key organizational scholars that focuses on three different paradigmatic views of identity: a functionalist perspective, an interpretive perspective, and a postmodern perspective. Similarities and distinctions among these ways of understanding are explored and numerous theoretical and practical insights are gained. This groundbreaking book concludes with a discussion of the relevance of identity as a construct in organizational study and observations on conversation and theory building. Many well-known scholars participate in the conversation, including Jay Barney, Denny Gioia, Mary Jo Hatch, Stuart Albert, Anne Huff, Judi McLean Parks, and Rod Kramer. Identity in Organizations will be of interest to professionals and students of organizational studies, human resource management, industrial psychology, sociology of work, psychology, and organizational communication.

This book exemplifies one of the most complete and rigorous examples of scholarship relative to its subject matter that I have ever seen. Russell L. Ackoff, University of Pennsylvania, US This is a book written by someone who makes a living from helping organizations make strategy. It is also, though, written by a scholar someone who has thought hard about the topic and knows what other scholars think. This mix makes a book that is both thorough, well argued, and yet of great significance for consultants and managers. It unashamedly takes an inside-out view of strategy making, and this is what makes it so practical. It focuses on what those who manage want to do with their organization, rather than on some notion of what they should do. The book takes the field of strategic management forward by bringing theory and practice together more management writing needs to come from practitioner scholars. Colin Eden, University of Strathclyde Graduate School of Business, UK Olaf Rughase successfully unlocks important insights for creative market strategy development by linking it to central ideas about organizational identity. He provides a compelling theoretical rationale and useful practical process insights for how to induce creative market strategy formation through articulating current desired organizational identities. The book is clearly written, the claims well documented and well illustrated, providing a fresh and useful perspective on how to enable market strategies that work. Jane E. Dutton, University of Michigan, US In his well-researched book, Olaf Rughase introduces a new element into the concept of strategy which has so far been neglected to a surprising degree: the human factor. Strategy development certainly consists of data research, analysis and synthesis but after all, it is at least as much driven by fear and hope, will and might, the vision and the experience of the people involved. Only approaches that take this into account can claim any relevance for real-life strategy making. Viewed in this light, Olaf Rughase s book fills a gaping hole in the existing world of strategic thinking. Jörg Fengler, Management Consultancy, E.ON Ruhrgas AG, Germany Theorists and practitioners often underestimate the subtlety of each others thinking. Rughase s work engages seriously with both groups, and as a result is both deep and thoroughly practical. This is a genuinely original contribution. David Sims, Cass Business School, London, UK . . . this book is not just an academic treatise. Its insights grow out of facilitating strategy making, and one of these experiences is described in some detail. There are many practical observations to be found here. Political realities are acknowledged. Alternative paths anticipated. The ideas advanced here are, in combination, a genuine departure from past efforts. The theoretic development, which moves back and forth from experience to academic explanation, is convincing. From the foreword by Anne S. Huff This groundbreaking book explores the relationship between organizational identity and strategy and proposes a practical strategy making process that helps to avoid the typical pitfalls in strategic change processes. In doing so, the author bridges an important gap in management and strategy literature and explains how to practically link content and process when designing market strategies. A new conceptual framework is also presented which emphasizes the importance and dynamics of organizational identity and corresponding time discrepancies for strategy making. Whilst most strategists use the economically and analytically best strategy as a measure, Olaf Rughase introduces a new measure for strategy making that takes personal feelings, values and aspirations of organizational members into account. Claiming that individually desired organizational identities which can be seen as individual visions give direction, motivation and impetus for strategy action and developme

The increasing diversity of Infonnation Communication Technologies and their equally diverse range of uses in personal, professional and official capacities raise challenging questions of identity in a variety of contexts. Each communication exchange contains an identifier which may, or may not, be intended by the parties involved. What constitutes an identity, how do new technologies affect identity, how do we manage identities in a globally networked infonnation society? th th From the 6 to the 10 August 2007, IFIP (International Federation for Infonnation Processing) working groups 9. 2 (Social Accountability), 9. 6/11. 7 (IT rd Misuse and the Law) and 11. 6 (Identity Management) hold their 3 Intemational Summer School on "The Future of Identity in the Infonnation Society" in cooperation with the EU Network of Excellence FIDIS at Karlstad University. The Summer School addressed the theme of Identity Management in relation to current and future technologies in a variety of contexts. The aim of the IFIP summer schools has been to introduce participants to the social implications of Infonnation Technology through the process of infonned discussion. Following the holistic approach advocated by the involved IFIP working groups, a diverse group of participants ranging from young doctoral students to leading researchers in the field were encouraged to engage in discussion, dialogue and debate in an infonnal and supportive setting. The interdisciplinary, and intemational, emphasis of the Summer School allowed for a broader understanding of the issues in the technical and social spheres.

Symbolic boundaries, cultural differences and ethnic conflicts have gained significance and new meanings in a global situation characterized by the dissolution of traditional political and societal structures. Communications and political and economic interactions increasingly cross the borders of states, nations and ethnic communities, and yet symbolic borders and separate group identities are nevertheless asserted. The perceived efforts of migrants to maintain their cultural and ethnic identities are often blamed as a cause of conflict within nation states. This intriguing volume recognizes that migrants with an Islamic background are seen as especially problematic cases. Turks are the biggest category among Muslim migrants in Europe and more than one third of all Muslim migrants in Europe are from Turkey. Referring primarily to immigration from Turkey, this book combines both exemplary case studies of Turks within Europe and theoretical papers with innovative perspectives on the relations between integration and identity.

New ID card systems are proliferating around the world. These may use digitized fingerprints or photos using a scanner & may rely on computerized registries of personal information. In this book, David Lyon argues that such IDs represent a fresh phase in the long-term attempts of modern states to find stable ways of identifying citizens.

Intercultural Public Relations: Theories for Managing Relationships and Conflicts with Strategic Publics develops a coherent framework to unify the theories of public relations and intercultural communication, and, within the framework, examines empirical studies of intercultural interactions. This book follows an intercultural approach, which considers how individuals and entities with dissimilar cultural identities interact and negotiate to solve problems and reach mutually satisfying outcomes. This work provides a theory-driven, empirically supported framework that will inform and guide the research and practices of intercultural public relations. Furthermore, it provides numerous levels of analysis and incorporates the use and challenges of social media. The book examines theories and issues in three integrated processes: Identification of publics Relationship management Conflict resolution These areas represent the most critical functions that public relations contributes to organizational effectiveness: scanning the environment, identifying strategic publics, and building long-term, quality relationships with these publics to reduce costs, gain support, and empower the publics themselves. In doing so, the book adopts simultaneously public-centered and organization-centered perspectives. This unique work will serve as an essential reference for students, practitioners, and scholars in today’s global public relations environment.

Creativity can be viewed as the first stage of the overall innovation process, an important dimension of the entrepreneurship and new venture creation processes, and as such, it is considered to be a cornerstone of organizational competitiveness in this global, knowledge-based economy. Research on creativity has increasingly become multilevel, with most work conducted at the individual or team level of analysis. At the same time, there is a large body of research being conducted at the organizational level of analysis on innovation, and there has been a significant amount of entrepreneurship research at the individual level, with an increasing focus on organizational entrepreneurship. However, these three research streams have developed independently, and there has been very little knowledge transfer between the three areas. Because entrepreneurship is often said to be a process that is required to convert innovation into business ventures that will deliver benefits to stakeholders, it is typically driven by an individual or small group of individuals. Creativity research, innovation research, and entrepreneurship research have the potential to inform each other, enriching our knowledge of each area, particularly with regard to the cognitive processes and behaviors that are most effective. This Handbook includes contributions from the leading scholars in these three research areas, who integrate contemporary research findings on organizational creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship and provide fruitful new research directions."