Summary: | This thesis explores both modernist and poststructuralist theories of the identification process as a vehicle for understanding the makeup of individuals and their relationship with social movements. It is asserted that individuals are made up of multiple lines of identity, such as sexuality and gender, which interact with societal normative discourse. This essay develops the theory of the fractured being to account for these arrangements and asserts that individuals continually rearrange their identity in order to negotiate axiomatic activities. By demonstrating that it is possible to affect change at micro and macro levels, the fractured being retains agonistic power relations. Theories that demonstrate how individuals resist norms on a daily basis are explored through an examination of daily events, popular culture, and a qualitative interview. This thesis concludes that benefits are derived within social movements when members organise around more complex relationships rather than singular issues.
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