What Makes an Identity?

作者：Zhaohui Su · 发表于：Innovation in the Social Sciences · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.1163/27730611-bja10047 · 研究领域：Contemporary Sociological Theory and Practice、Interdisciplinary Cultural and Social Studies、Critical Race Theory in Education

Abstract What makes an identity and who determines where individuals belong? Drawing on William Edward Burghardt Du Bois’s concept of double consciousness, this article examines the tensions that arise when self-identity diverges from legal, social, and cultural classifications. Utilizing poetic inquiry, specifically vox theoria , the article presents an original poem that explores questions of nationality, ethnicity, race, citizenship, and belonging in the context of contemporary immigration policies. By interrogating the alignment between appearance, ancestry, legal status, and self-identification, the poem illustrates the enduring relevance of double consciousness in shaping lived experiences of inclusion and exclusion. The article contributes to scholarship on identity and social belonging while demonstrating the value of poetic inquiry for examining complex social phenomena.