Identity
Place
idea
The divided self: does where I live make me who I am?
At home in Delhi, I am a more social, interactive person. A quiet balcony in Frankfurt gave me space to be by myself
by Anandi Mishra
Identity
idea
I rebuilt my self-esteem by changing the story of who I am
I once clung to a dubious family legend to help me cope with a difficult childhood. I’ve since found a better story to tell
by Patricia Olsen
Neurodiversity
idea
Essentialism is insidious – but it might also be helpful
Stereotypes are obviously bad, but believing you share an essence with others could help people who feel marginalised
by Ariana Orvell & Alexa Lebrón-Cruz
Disability
idea
Blindness transformed my social world, and I changed with it
One of the biggest challenges in becoming blind late in life has been overcoming sighted people’s negative assumptions
by Jeffry Ricker
Cultural diversity
idea
Cultural differences are far more nuanced than East vs West
It’s simply not the case that ‘Eastern’ cultures are relationally-minded, while ‘Western’ societies are individualistic
by Matt Huston
Race and ethnicity
idea
If racial identity can be fluid, who changes their race?
Understanding how individuals change their self-described race helps us decode racial dynamics in the US and beyond
by Alexander Agadjanian
Stigma and taboo
idea
It’s a fraught choice: come out, or conceal yourself?
For those who face the threat of prejudice, the possibility of concealing their identity means weighing up conflicting goals
by Joel Le Forestier
Mental health
idea
How a feeling that you belong could protect your mental health
Research on young adults at a time of social transition highlights the significance of feeling that you belong to a group
by Janine M Dutcher & Amber Quinn
The self
idea
What does it take for someone to become a ‘different person’?
What does it really mean when you say of an individual that they are so transformed as to be a ‘different person’?
by John Schwenkler
Sex and sexuality
idea
Human bodies change through life. So does our sexuality
Sexual identity is more than sexual orientation. It develops and changes as our bodies develop and change through our lives
by Jana Byars
Identity
idea
Affirming transgender people’s identities is more than politeness
Trans people bear a heavy burden of stigma. Affirming their chosen identity helps to build their psychological resilience
by David Matthew Doyle
Psychosis and schizophrenia
idea
People with psychosis can heal by rebuilding their life stories
The narrative identities of people with schizophrenia reveal its profound disruption – but also the potential for growth
by Henry R Cowan