Introduction: Narrative, Identity, and Social Movement Activism

There are as many theories and approaches to the study of identity as there are disciplines in the social sciences. Every field has its conception about how identity is formed, how malleable identities are, and if they lead to conflict or are produced and reproduced through conflict. For more than a decade, I have examined the roles of identity in conflict and its resolution, focusing on the interrelationships between identity, conflict, and peacemaking (cf. Hancock, 2005, 2010, 2013, 2014a, 2014b, 2016). Having examined identity from multiple perspectives, I have come to many conclusions, two of which are pertinent for this volume.