Landless Peasants Identity Intergenerational Differences

Identity is a process of construction. Sheldon Stryker and Peter J. Burke have given their own explanations respectively. The theory of "social structure-identity" suggested by Stryker emphasizes that social role playing means social position occupying. External social structure will affect their commitment to social roles. The social role which involves the most commitment will be chosen as the identity. The theory of "self verification-identity" suggested by Burke emphasizes the interaction between the individual by whom the social role is played and others. The positive or negative reflexive responses to self-in-role will influence the choice of identity of individuals. By blending these two explanations, the present paper provides a theoretical proposition:how the external structure and internal verification construct individual's identity? "L XiaoQu", an urbanized neighborhood where urban residents and landless peasants are living together, is chosen as a case for empirical research. The research pays attention on the identity of three landless peasant generations (Aged/Middle aged/Youth generation). Influenced by different objective environment and subjective interpersonal interaction, how identities of the three generations are differentiated? In present paper, the concept "identity" is defined as the confirmation of citizen. Applying qualitative method, the data is collected by interview and this research tries to interpret the meaning behind the words. Three propositions are going to be verified according to the two dimensions:1) Because objective and subjective factors make negative influence on aged generation's identity, their identity fails to be constructed; 2)Because objective external environment makes positive influence and subjective interpersonal interaction makes negative influence on middle-aged generation's identity, their identity is indefinite; at the same time, because objective external environment makes negative influence and subjective interpersonal interaction makes positive influence on middle-aged generation's identity, their identity is also indefinite.3) Because objective and subjective factors make positive influence on youth generation's identity, their identity is constructed successfully.