Introduction

Identity is about how people define themselves as unique from others, in relation to others, and within the social groups to which they belong. We address different aspects of identity in this book, mainly in non-Western contexts and for non-Western groups. Given that much of the theory around identity is rooted in predominantly Western understanding, conceptualization, and lines of inquiry, this book aims to bridge Western and non-Western perspectives and models of identity. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the chapters of this book, which are presented in three parts: (1) identity in underrepresented world regions and contexts, (2) identity of specific non-Western groups, Non-Western groups, and (3) identity perspectives important in non-Western contexts. The chapters in this book provide novel and invaluable insights for enriching our understanding of identity and how it is understood and studied. Thus, this book suggests how identity scholars might extend identity theory to be more inclusive of perspectives from different parts of the world.