After Identity

Jonathan Rutherford returns here to a theme on which he has written widely, to revisit its cultural and political relevance for the new century. Identity is the means by which individuals struggle to give themselves meaning and representation, and has been the site of historic struggles - in particular against racism, misogyny and homophobia. But identity is in danger of being wrested away from its liberation ethic. Co-opted by the market, it is increasingly seen as a private and individualised affair. "After Identity" explores some of the ethical resources that might help an engagement with the current predicaments of identity. It argues that we need a better account of how we define human being, and of the changing dynamic between individuality and society, through which identities are made and remade. In rethinking the idea of the individual, what might come after identity, Jonathan Rutherford addresses this question in a series of essays - on individuality, race and asylum, identity and history, masculinity and war, ecological ethics and ageing.