Eleonore Beja

Human Identity Eleonore Beja

In this book, the author effectively uses 13 chapters to convey not only how our identities (we have several) are governed, but also how we pay for these identities. In addition, he successfully demonstrates how these identities affect 'the way' we are governed in society and how we pay for this government. He is not attempting to provide a general theory of identities or government -even though on the surface it may appear as if he is driving us toward a general theory- rather he is attempting to provide us with subjects, variables, and hypotheses for use in our discourse and research. According to the author, "The objective here is to better understand the nature and uses of identity; be that identity [so conceived as having] natural roots or [rather] is a synthetic creation of Thought Employers." To better understand the concept of identities he asks the question "Is there a set of universal principles governing identity?". Asking this question makes it appear as if he is positing a general theory, yet what he mostly concentrates on is a collection of previous work that has left us with some good observations, yet these observations have left us with many questions that cry out for further discourse and research.