Abstract
Although often implicit, semiotics plays an integral role in understanding the way in which social identities can be used to promote reconciliation or encourage conflicts among groups. By integrating the theoretical frameworks of Social Representation Theory and the Dialogical Self with Social Identity Theory, we can better understand the process by which new social identities are created or old social identities persist in creating division in societies. This approach can be applied to analyze the effectiveness of the promotion of a superordinate Rwandan identity in post-Genocide Rwanda over the divisive identities of Tutsi and Hutu. It can also be applied to Northern Ireland, where signs as subtle as the color of flowers in your garden can be strong indicator of your identity as a Protestant or Catholic.
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Phillips DeZalia, R.A., Moeschberger, S.L. (2016). Symbolic Reminders of Identity. In: McKeown, S., Haji, R., Ferguson, N. (eds) Understanding Peace and Conflict Through Social Identity Theory. Peace Psychology Book Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29869-6_8
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