Metaphors of Identity: A Culture-Communication Dialogue

by Thomas K. Fitzgerald

Overview

Placing identity within its cultural context, Fitzgerald offers ethnographic case material to examine the meaning and changing metaphors of ethnicity, male and female identity, and aging and identity. He opens up an exciting multidisciplinary dialogue for improving interpersonal and cross-cultural communication. The book provides a clear synthesis of the interrelated meanings of culture, identity, and communication, examining self-concept and its role in the communication process, and exploring cultural and biological research on self, individuality, personality, and mind-body questions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780791415962
Publisher:	State University of New York Press
Publication date:	09/06/1993
Series:	SUNY series, Human Communication Processes
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Thomas K. Fitzgerald is Professor at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. He is co-author of Culture, Society and Guidance; and author of Education and Identity and Aspirations and Identity Among Second-Generation Cook Islanders in New Zealand.

Table of Contents

Foreword by George and Louise Spindler

Acknowledgments

1. Conceptions of Identity in the Culture-Communication Dialogue

Part I Culture as Communicable Knowledge: A Functional Model of Identity

2. Biology, Culture, and Communication

3. History, Culture, and the Concept of the Person

4. Culture, Identity, and Communication

Part II Identity Topics in Social and Cultural Context: Communication Implications

5. Identity of Place or Mis-placed Identity: Media and Changing Metaphors of Ethnicity and Identity

6. Males in Transition: An Identity Challenge

7. Homophobia and the Cultural Construction of the Social Stranger

8. Metaphors and Scientific Discourse in Social Gerontology

9. Communication: Identity, Community, and Survival

10. Limits of Metaphor in the Culture-Communication Dialogue

References

Indexes

Editorial Reviews

"Metaphors of Identity was a pleasure to read. It integrates a vast amount of material within a creative but solid framework, and is truly a holistic work of art. The case studies are well chosen and provide sufficient descriptive data to substantiate the theoretical claims of the author." — Carole E. Hill, Georgia State University

From the Publisher

Offers ethnographic case material to examine the meaning and changing metaphors of ethnicity, identity in the context of gender and age, and the role of self-concept in the communication process. Also surveys the cultural and biological research on self, individuality, personality, and mind-body questions. Paper edition (unseen), $16.95. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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