Essential vs. narrative identities in interpretative sociology

This feature discusses essential vs. narrative or performative approaches towards constructing social identity. Supporters of essentialism believe that invariant or essential identities are based upon race, nationality, gender, sexual orientations or social class. Narrative or performative approaches to the research of interaction and socialization emphasize fragile, unaccomplished, fragmentary and contradictory attributes of the nature of «self» and its social, personal, and enjoyed identities. The equilibrium between these two points of view lets find a place to discuss social and cultural discourses.