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tems. Freud’spsychoanalytical theory
of the unconscious suggests identities are not unified but something an infant will learngradually, partially and with great difficulty.Therefore identity as unified entitybecomes a fantasy because of the individual divided experience. In a post-modernworld identity as a unified concept also becomes a fantasy and this is where the senseof a ‘crisis’ develops for some individuals.
Hall examines the character of change in late modernity and the arguments put forwardby others writers in relation to his analysis. Hall agrees with Marx who suggestedmodern society experienced constant, rapid and permanent change. It is this constant,
rapid and permanent change Hall argues, is the principle distinction between‘tradition’ and ‘modern’ societies. Anthony Giddens suggests intraditional societiesthe past was used as a guide for present social practices whereas in modern societiessocial practices under go constant re-examination and reformation. Hall draws uponErnesto Laclau who suggest modern society is experiencing a sense of dislocation
where the centre is becoming displaced yet nothing is put to replaces it and what thendevelops is ‘a plurality of power centres’ that create the fragmentation of identity.Laclau also argues that societies are only held together because under certain
circumstances the different elements and identities can be articulated together but only
partially so as the structure of identity is able to remain open to change. Hall
recognises the positive aspects of Laclau’s argument as he suggest dislocation allows
for new identities to form, for the production of new subjects and for identities of thepast to open up.It is important to understand how and why change has created an uncertainty in our
sense of identity. Hall uses the example of Judge Thomas, a black judge ofconservative political views accused of sexual harassment. The example demonstrateshow the fragmentation or plurality of identity can contradict between society and theindividual. Some people supported or opposed the judge on the basis of their racialidentity and others on the basis of their political identity. Therefore a woman may
oppose Judge Thomas because she believes he has committed a crime but feel the needto support him because of the lack of highly positioned black judges in America andherein lays the contradiction. This example demonstrates how identity can shift inaccordance to how the subject is addressed or presented. What became evidentaccording to Hall is how in a post-modern society there is no longer a single identity
to act as a ‘master’ one over other prevailing identities. In the past class acted as amaster identity for everyone. Hall argues how the new social movements such asfeminism and equal rights have helped to create these new emerging identities.In conclusion there are many aspects to the concept of identity especially in a postmodern
society. Hall in his article apologises for the seemingly simplistic historicalcontext of the concept of identity as he points out history developed over time andevents acted to influence one another at different stages. It is important to rememberhere how it is problematic in itself to state the exact development of some of the
issues surrounding identity such as when modernity actually began. Halls article iswell structured and detailed which, will help the audience to follow his argument. Heused relevant sources of evidence