Ann-Dorte Christensen: Political Identities in Late Modernity: young women’s stories about politics and identity
The first part of this article examines various approaches to political identities that have been inspired by sociological discussions of identity construction as well as by discussions within political sociology about new forms of politics and power in late modernity. In the second part of the article, political identities among young women are analyzed. The results indicate that the processes of individualization and the constructions of life politics have a variety of meanings and different implications for the women. This means that it is crucial to construct more sensitive theories about gender and political identities in contemporary societies. These new theories must take into account political learning in individual life courses as well as feelings of belonging and participation in multiple
political communities in relation to both political institutions and organizations in civil society. The final section of the article discusses the contents of the political identities attempting to renew the theoretical understanding of political identities in late modernity and the potential for renewal of politics and political institutions in a gender perspective.
