Article Version of Record

The identity process in times of rupture: Narratives from the Egyptian revolution

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Awad, Sarah Hassan

Abstract / Description

This is a longitudinal study of the identity process through times of dramatic social change. Using a narrative psychological approach this research follows the life stories of five Egyptian bloggers as they write their stories on online blogs over the course of the three years following the 2011 revolution, at which time Egypt has witnessed major social and political changes. The aim is to understand the identity process of individuals as they develop and adapt through changing social contexts and how they create alternative social relations as they engage in prefigurative politics. The findings shed light on how ruptures trigger a process of reflexivity, adaptive learning, and sense-making that facilitates coping and the reconstruction of a positive identity after ruptures. It also suggests that the narration of the experience of rupture through storytelling creates a heightened sense of agency in individuals’ ability to create new meanings of their world in spite of the socio-cultural and political constraints. This study presents narratives as an informing methodological resource that connects identity process with social representations and emphasizes the value of storytelling as an integral part of the adaptation process.

Keyword(s)

identity process ruptures narratives agency blogs revolution Egypt

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2016-05-24

Journal title

Journal of Social and Political Psychology

Volume

4

Issue

1

Page numbers

128–141

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Awad, S. H. (2016). The identity process in times of rupture: Narratives from the Egyptian revolution. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 4(1), 128–141. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v4i1.521
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Awad, Sarah Hassan
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-26T12:45:08Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-26T12:45:08Z
  • Date of first publication
    2016-05-24
  • Abstract / Description
    This is a longitudinal study of the identity process through times of dramatic social change. Using a narrative psychological approach this research follows the life stories of five Egyptian bloggers as they write their stories on online blogs over the course of the three years following the 2011 revolution, at which time Egypt has witnessed major social and political changes. The aim is to understand the identity process of individuals as they develop and adapt through changing social contexts and how they create alternative social relations as they engage in prefigurative politics. The findings shed light on how ruptures trigger a process of reflexivity, adaptive learning, and sense-making that facilitates coping and the reconstruction of a positive identity after ruptures. It also suggests that the narration of the experience of rupture through storytelling creates a heightened sense of agency in individuals’ ability to create new meanings of their world in spite of the socio-cultural and political constraints. This study presents narratives as an informing methodological resource that connects identity process with social representations and emphasizes the value of storytelling as an integral part of the adaptation process.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Awad, S. H. (2016). The identity process in times of rupture: Narratives from the Egyptian revolution. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 4(1), 128–141. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v4i1.521
    en_US
  • ISSN
    2195-3325
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1400
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1756
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v4i1.521
  • Keyword(s)
    identity process
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    ruptures
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    narratives
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    agency
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    blogs
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    revolution
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    Egypt
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    The identity process in times of rupture: Narratives from the Egyptian revolution
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    1
  • Journal title
    Journal of Social and Political Psychology
  • Page numbers
    128–141
  • Volume
    4
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record