Social Conflict and Identities: A Conceptual Review

Identity is a potent concept that has been used in various perspectives and for explaining varied phenomena at individual and group levels. Present paper discusses the concept of identity from the perspective of identity- interaction model (Robbins,1997) that emphasises that a person's conceptualisation of self serves as the guide for their interaction with others. It builds upon the idea that identities are dynamic and are in a state of constant flux as identities are not inherent in the individual, but are being created constantly as a result of interaction with other individuals or groups. The paper focuses on negotiated nature of identities, individual identities as well as group identities and discusses how identities and the process of their negotiation are crucial in understanding the nature of social conflict, and also for finding optimum ways of resolving these contestations.