Group identity and alienation: Giving the we its due
Document Type
Article
Date of Original Version
10-1-2001
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to argue for greater understanding and valuing of group affiliation and the formation of allegiances to groups during early adolescence. An overemphasis on themes of individual identity, self-reliance, and autonomy as the developmental trajectory of adolescence leads to a lack of attention to the positive, normative mechanisms that permit young adolescents to achieve a sense of belonging and connection. We propose developmental processes which underlie the capacity for reflection about groups, 4 basic components of group identity, and 6 propositions about new capacities that emerge as young adolescents struggle with the dialectic between group identity and alienation. The final section suggests opportunities that can emerge through a more appropriate emphasis on group identity as a valued, normative aspect of development during the early adolescent years.
Publication Title, e.g., Journal
Journal of Youth and Adolescence
Volume
30
Issue
5
Citation/Publisher Attribution
Newman, Barbara M., and Philip R. Newman. "Group identity and alienation: Giving the we its due." Journal of Youth and Adolescence 30, 5 (2001). doi: 10.1023/A:1010480003929.