Key Concepts: Concepts of the Self

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This updated edition of Concepts of the Self serves as a lively and compelling introduction to contemporary debates surrounding self and self-identity in the social sciences. The author, a recognized figure in the field, focuses on the contributions of social theorists and cultural analysts who explore the self in relation to psychological processes, social contexts, and historical perspectives. Key figures discussed include Mead, Freud, Goffman, Foucault, Chodorow, Kristeva, Baudrillard, and the newly added Zizek. The book links discussions about the self to identity politics, personal relationships, and the politics of sexuality, while addressing cultural and political issues through interdisciplinary lenses. Elliott draws on contemporary social and cultural theory, exploring traditions such as symbolic interactionism, modern sociology, post-structuralism, feminist and queer theory, psychoanalysis, and postmodernism. Core concepts are reviewed through themes like the relationship between self and society, the interpreting self in social life, self-formation processes, and evolving identity politics. This edition also introduces contemporary insights on the globalization of the self, making it an invaluable resource for students in social and political theory, sociology, social psychology, cultural studies, and gender studies.