Difference Matters: Communicating Social Identity, Third Edition

by Brenda J. Allen

This captivating book analyzes six salient categories of social identity (gender, race, social class, disability, sexuality, and age) and why difference within and between those categories matter. Brenda J. Allen provides overviews of sociohistorical developments and their impact on how people perceive and treat one another. She explains how communication constitutes social identity and explores relationships among social identity, discourse, and power dynamics. Allen's book has motivated thousands of individuals in university classes/programs and a variety of other organizations. She offers life-changing guidance in harnessing the potential of diverse perspectives—whether to improve interpersonal relationships and workplace communication or to build a more just society. Difference Communicating Social Identity invites and induces readers to value and appreciate difference. Allen covers complex and sensitive topics with an ease that inspires others to approach potentially threatening situations with an open mind and heart. Her frank discussions of the effects of dominant belief systems on her own behaviors encourage and reassure the audience to engage in self-reflection. Difference matters to everyone. Establishing meaningful dialogue begins with curiosity about differing perspectives, empathy for others, and cultural humility. Allen addresses the uncertainty and anxiety too often connected with difference, advises mindfulness to reveal the hidden associations connected with stereotypes, and urges proactivity to challenge and change mainstream meanings of difference. She also provides tools and techniques to help readers apply lessons learned. Not-for-sale instructor resource material available to college and university faculty only; contact publisher directly. Title of related interest also available from Waveland Orbe-Harris, Interracial Theory into Practice, Fourth Edition (ISBN 13 9781478649366).

Genres: Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

Published January 21, 2023

Reviews

[Sam O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for teaching about social identity and construction. The updates in this 3rd edition make it easier for current students to connect ideas to their lived experience.

[Marmar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think everyone should read this book! Not only did it confirm a lot of things I already suspected, it also challenged me to think differently. I would have liked more examples on how to apply the lessons taught but overall, I think this is a good starting point for many people to better understand identity and differences.