Dimensions of Citizens’ Political Identity: Approaching an Understanding of the Concept of Political Identity

The concept of political identity is leading a highly languishing and obscure existence in contemporary social sciences. We argue for the need to reconsider the concept of political identity and identification and for a revitalization of the concept in order to bring it more in sync with prevalent modes of social citizenship. Our basic interest and ambition originates from at least three fundamental problems related to the general use of the concept in most political science - 1) the classic “link” between commitment to political party and political identity is insufficient and too narrow. And 2) the relation between social class and political identity has increasingly dissolved. Finally, 3) and perharps must urgent within a wider context, the tendency of the social scienses to tie the issue of political identity to the production side of the economy is highly imperfect. The aim of this article, therefore, is to explore approaches to political identity in order to suggest a frame for discussion and/or a conceptualization of political identity. We approach this goal by combining a review of meanings of political identity which is used in previous research literature on the one hand, and theoretical approaches to identity and identity-formation on the other. Our outcome is thus a result of mainly theoretical arguments. There are several reasons for such a focus, both related to the salience of political identities in political affairs, as well as how identities function in ordinary people’s lives. We shall finally argue for a more profound consideration to the consumption side of the economy, in order to better understand contemporary political identity and social citizenship through the introduction of a new consumerist citizenship identity.