Place identity in inner-city youths : "its all I know"

Identity is a salient topic in every field, in all
disciplines of knowledge (Karnofsky, 2002). Using
a discursive psychological approach, this paper
explored how young people from inner city areas
constructed their identity. Specifically the concern
was with the resources that young people draw
on to construct their accounts of events. The
dominant theme to arise was place identity that
was rooted in a sense of belonging and familiarity
and the perception of differentiation with other
areas. The status associated with living in their
area was constructed as the most important
aspect. Furthermore they invoked others’
reputation of their areas as being relevant to
them. The findings were evaluated within the
context of both early (Social Identity Theory) and
contemporary (discursive) theories of social
identity. It was concluded that this research adds
weight to the body of discursive work that focuses
upon identity as an interactional resource. The
wider implications are discussed in terms of what
social functions might be accomplished and
social relations legitimated in other contexts
outside of the interview setting.