International identity construction: China’s pursuit of the responsible power identity and the American Other
How should one understand the construction of a state’s identity in the international system—its international identity? In this article, I attempt to provide richer answers. Drawing insights from social psychology, specifically Social Identity Theory and Identity Theory, I provide a micro-account o...
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
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2022
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/163455 |
| _version_ | 1824454611692421120 |
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| author | Boon, Hoo Tiang |
| author2 | S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies |
| author_facet | S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Boon, Hoo Tiang |
| author_sort | Boon, Hoo Tiang |
| collection | NTU |
| description | How should one understand the construction of a state’s identity in the international system—its international identity? In this article, I attempt to provide richer answers. Drawing insights from social psychology, specifically Social Identity Theory and Identity Theory, I provide a micro-account of identity construction to better specify the mechanisms and logics through which international identity is constructed. This framework proposes the following general arguments about international identity formation. First, the construction of international identity is interpreted as a process of role negotiation between the state Self and relevant Other, animated by the mechanisms of self-categorization, alter’s casting, and role appraisal. Second, the collective motivations of self-esteem, self-efficacy, and self-consistency drive state identity change or continuity. As a plausibility probe, I apply the framework to a current analysis of China’s construction of an international identity as a “responsible” power in recent years, with a corresponding focus on the United States as the primary Other. |
| first_indexed | 2025-02-19T03:25:04Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | ntu-10356/163455 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-02-19T03:25:04Z |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/1634552022-12-07T01:27:03Z International identity construction: China’s pursuit of the responsible power identity and the American Other Boon, Hoo Tiang S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Social sciences::Political science International Identity Social Psychology How should one understand the construction of a state’s identity in the international system—its international identity? In this article, I attempt to provide richer answers. Drawing insights from social psychology, specifically Social Identity Theory and Identity Theory, I provide a micro-account of identity construction to better specify the mechanisms and logics through which international identity is constructed. This framework proposes the following general arguments about international identity formation. First, the construction of international identity is interpreted as a process of role negotiation between the state Self and relevant Other, animated by the mechanisms of self-categorization, alter’s casting, and role appraisal. Second, the collective motivations of self-esteem, self-efficacy, and self-consistency drive state identity change or continuity. As a plausibility probe, I apply the framework to a current analysis of China’s construction of an international identity as a “responsible” power in recent years, with a corresponding focus on the United States as the primary Other. 2022-12-07T01:27:03Z 2022-12-07T01:27:03Z 2022 Journal Article Boon, H. T. (2022). International identity construction: China’s pursuit of the responsible power identity and the American Other. European Journal of International Relations, 28(4), 808-833. https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/13540661221117029 1354-0661 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/163455 10.1177/13540661221117029 2-s2.0-85137010578 4 28 808 833 en European Journal of International Relations © 2022 The Author(s). All rights reserved. |
| spellingShingle | Social sciences::Political science International Identity Social Psychology Boon, Hoo Tiang International identity construction: China’s pursuit of the responsible power identity and the American Other |
| title | International identity construction: China’s pursuit of the responsible power identity and the American Other |
| title_full | International identity construction: China’s pursuit of the responsible power identity and the American Other |
| title_fullStr | International identity construction: China’s pursuit of the responsible power identity and the American Other |
| title_full_unstemmed | International identity construction: China’s pursuit of the responsible power identity and the American Other |
| title_short | International identity construction: China’s pursuit of the responsible power identity and the American Other |
| title_sort | international identity construction china s pursuit of the responsible power identity and the american other |
| topic | Social sciences::Political science International Identity Social Psychology |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/163455 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT boonhootiang internationalidentityconstructionchinaspursuitoftheresponsiblepoweridentityandtheamericanother |