Mapping the Margins of Scrolls and Clay Tablets: The Construction of Identity in the Ancient World

Sociological concepts like identity theory, social identity theory, narrative theory of identity, and intersectionality are often cannibalized in discussions of ancient identity. Ancient identities were complex, multifaceted, and comparable to modern identities, but due to the fragmentary nature of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Die Welt des Orients
Main Author: Töyräänvuori, Joanna (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht [2020]
In: Die Welt des Orients
RelBib Classification:KBL Near East and North Africa
TC Pre-Christian history ; Ancient Near East
ZB Sociology
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)
Volltext (doi)
Description
Summary:Sociological concepts like identity theory, social identity theory, narrative theory of identity, and intersectionality are often cannibalized in discussions of ancient identity. Ancient identities were complex, multifaceted, and comparable to modern identities, but due to the fragmentary nature of the evidence, they are difficult to reach, and hence ought to be appreciated only as historical fictions. The bulk of the discourse on ancient identities seems to focus on questions of ethnicity because ancient texts allow for a more detailed discussion of the topic, but this does not make other kinds of identity in the ancient world less important. The author suggests that the concept of strategic essentialism might be applied in discussions of ancient identities to facilitate more nuanced discourse.
ISSN:2196-9019
Contains:Enthalten in: Die Welt des Orients
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.13109/wdor.2020.50.2.205