Without social identity there is no human world. Without frameworks of similarity and difference, people would be unable to relate to each other in a consistent and meaningful fashion. In the second edition of this highly successful text, Richard Jenkins develops his argument that identity is both individual and collective, and should therefore be considered within one analytic framework. Using the work of major social theorists, such as Mead, Goffman, and Barthes to explore the experience of identity in everyday life, Jenkins considers a range of different issues, including embodiment, categorization and boundaries, the institutionalizing of identities, and identity and modernity.Written in a clear and accessible style throughout, the text has been thoroughly revised and updated. It is essential reading for all students interested in the concept of identity in the contemporary world.