A reminder as to what we mean by identity:

Identity is the way we see ourselves and the way different groups in society see us. We have a
cultural identity, in that we belong to particular cultures and groups, and a personal identity
including, for example, our age, gender, sexuality, race.
Identity is not fixed, but constructed over time. It is continually updated, revised and changed, a
story we create about ourselves. Giddens called this, ‘the on-going story about the self’.


Identities can be complex and contradictory and an individual can also have multiple identities. For example, our online identity might be very different from the one we have at college, work or home. People also need to present or display their identity as part of its construction.

The pre-set topic of Identities and the Media will involve the media concepts of representation,
ideology and audience.