Dubar’s concept of identity (2015)
The Construction of Identity according to Dubar: Between Oneself and Others
The notion of identity, although common in everyday language, is profoundly complex in the humanities. The text is based on the work of Claude Dubar, in particular his book La socialisation: Construction des identités sociales et professionnelles (2015), to define identity not as a static state, but as a dynamic process resulting from socialization.
A multidimensional definition :
For Dubar, identity is the product of multiple tensions. He defines it as "the result, both stable and provisional, individual and collective, subjective and objective, biographical and structural, of the various socialization processes that jointly build individuals and define institutions" (Dubar, 2015, p. 105). This construct is vital; its loss can lead to profound psychological distress. His theory revolves around two fundamental dimensions: the relational process and the biographical process.
The relational identity process: Identity for others
This first dimension concerns the construction of identity through the gaze and recognition of others and institutions. Dubar speaks of "identity for others" (2015, p. 109). Here, the individual is subjected to "acts of attribution" that aim to define "what type of man/woman you are" (Dubar, 2015, p. 106). This mechanism is similar to a form of social labelling, where institutions use categories to identify and classify the individual during social interactions.
The biographical identity process: Identity for oneself
The second dimension, "identity for oneself" (Dubar, 2015, p. 109), deals with the perception that the individual has of himself over time. This process begins at birth with inherited identities (gender, social class, ethnicity). Throughout primary and secondary socialization, the individual learns to navigate between the identity imposed by his environment and the intended identity. These are the "acts of belonging" which then express "what type of man/woman you want to be" (Dubar, 2015, p. 106). The individual seeks here to legitimize the categories he chooses to endorse.
Conflicts and identity strategies :
Although distinct, these two processes are inseparable. A conflict often arises when the image conveyed by others diverges from that which the individual claims. To resolve this duality, Dubar identifies two types of "identity strategies" or transactions:
-> The external transaction (objective): A search for compromise between the individual and others to accommodate identity for oneself and identity for others.
-> The internal (subjective) transaction: An effort of internal assimilation where the individual tries to reconcile the "need to safeguard a part of his previous identifications and the desire to build new identities in the future" (Dubar, 2015, p. 107).
The dialectic between individual and society :
Finally, identity is the result of constant negotiation with social structures (family, school). These structures impose frameworks and starting roles, but the individual remains an actor by accepting or refusing these assignments. In conclusion, Dubar sees identity for oneself as a "construction over time by individuals […] from categories offered by institutions" (2015, p. 118). Identity is not a mere passive inheritance, but an active reconstruction carried out by each generation from the positions bequeathed by the previous one.
