Identity in Non-Western Groups and Contexts: Defining the Self in the Majority World

As a construct strongly rooted and mainly studied in Western society (American and Western European), identity is generally focused on understanding non-dominant (immigrant, minority) groups in relation to their dominant (mainstream, majority) counterparts. Only recently has there been more of a conscious effort to study identity amongst majority groups in non-Western contexts. This edited volume investigates identity from mainly a non-Western perspective by studying non-Western contexts, and non-Western, minority, or immigrant groups living in Western contexts. The contributions examine personal, relational and social aspects of dimensions of identity as either independent or interrelated constructs, considers the associations of these constructs with aspects of intergroup relations, acculturative processes, and/or psychological well-being, documents the advancement in research on identity in underrepresented groups, context and regions such as Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and South America, and considers different methodological approaches to the study and assessment of identity and the implications thereof. The market for this book mainly considers those who would be interested in understanding how identity in non-Western contexts is both informed by and informs western theoretical perspectives: academics, practitioners, educators, social workers, postgraduate students, and undergraduate students taking advanced courses related to cultural and cross-cultural psychology.