A useful definition might start with defining self-identity as ‘the way in which I see, describe or define myself’. Yet there is more to the concept of identity than this definition suggests. In this session, you will be asked to consider both self-identity and ‘ascribed’ identity. In addition to different ideas about identity, you will explore the ways in which these impact on and affect social work.

1. Professional Identity
Dr Ryan Thomas Williams

2. Identity
• What do you think is meant by
'identity’?
• How are identities formed?
• How much control do we have in
shaping our own identities? (Is
your identity given or created?)

3. Self-identity
• A useful definition might start with
defining self-identity as ‘the way in
which I see, describe or define
myself’.
• Yet there is more to the concept of
identity than this definition suggests.
• In this session, you will be asked to
consider both self-identity and
‘ascribed’ identity. In addition to
different ideas about identity, you
will explore the ways in which these
impact on and affect social work.

4. Complex identities
• This more complex perspective on identity has been developed by Stuart Hall, a
cultural theorist who has argued that identity is not simply given or fixed, ‘it is a
matter of “becoming” as well as of being’ (Hall, 1990).
• He suggests that identity is something that is never complete, and that it is more
helpful to think about ‘identification’ as a process rather than ‘identity’ as a fixed state
(Hall, 1990, p. 51).
• Hall’s ideas suggest that ‘who we are’ is strongly determined by feeling an affinity
with ‘people like us’ or people with whom we share ideas, values, beliefs or
experiences.

5. Ascribed identity
• Ascribed identities can be thought of as the identities that other people, or society,
might impose on you. These include, for example, gender-and age-defined identities
which are rooted in very early social experience.
• There may be conflict between the two kinds of identity. Many social work service
users, for example, find that their view of themselves (their self-identity) differs from
society’s view of them (ascribed-identity), and that frequently the latter is negative
and based on a stereotype.

6. Stereotyping
• Stereotyping is a process through which we assign a set of attributes to a person
based on their presumed membership of a particular group.
• It also involves simplifying information about complex situations. For example, many
older people find that their identity is seen only in terms of one attribute, their age,
and the traits that are assumed to accompany that age, while their individual
characteristics, capabilities and experiences are ignored.
• Similarly, people with mental health problems are often portrayed as one group and
are frequently stereotyped in films, books and television as being stupid or violent
and therefore to be feared.

7. Identity: it's complex
• Identity and identities are based on both how we define ourselves and the ways in
which society defines us.
• 'Identity' is fluid (constructed and re-constructed)
• Not a single definition of identity (Lawler, 2008)
• Architecture, Landscape, Values, Symbols, Practices, Material objects and Discourses
(Sampson & Goodrich, 2009 cited in Bhansing, Wijngaarden & Hitters, 2020)
• Seen and hidden aspects of identity

8. Identity Iceberg

9. Era
• The era in which you were born plays an
important role
• Baby Boomers are very different than
Generation Z because of different
technology and events happening during
their eras.

10. Friends
• You tend to hang out with people that
have similar personalities and identities as
you. Even though you and your friends
might be similar, minor differences can
shape each of your identities.

11. Culture
• Your culture also affects your
physical appearance, religion, and
language. The traditions,
ceremonies, and rituals you preform
are all more than likely based on
your heritage.

12. Economic Status
• Your economic status affects where
you were raised and the
opportunities that you get.

13. Goals
• Your goals reflect who you are; a creative person might want to become an artist or
designer. Your goals can also shape your identity. Someone wanting to become an
artist might try to further their skills by concentrating on more creative activities.

15. Introduction

16. Professional identity
• Preparing students for work (Trede, Macklin & Bridges, 2012)
• But, in the current global environment, what 'work' are we preparing for?
• Professional identity is concerned with 'being' in the world
• Complexity of this notion of 'being’
• 'Knowing' and 'becoming' (Barnett, 2009)
• Multiplicity of worlds (connections with Brimm's (2018) notion of different roles and
identities)
• Underdevelopment in research of professional identity development

17. What does your current online identity look
like?
• You start a volunteer position that is a great opportunity to get into your industry. You befriend the
team leader of the program and decide to connect with them on social media.
• You notice that their profile contains inappropriate photos of them partying with friends and posts
complaining about other volunteers in the program. It changes your view of them as a professional.
• You start to consider your own profile and wonder what someone might perceive about you if they
found it.

18. Google yourself and
assess your current
online profile?
• What comes up in the search
results? Can you see information
about you?
• If yes, how recent is the
information?
• Would you be happy if a
colleague or employer found this
information?
• What would you like others to find
when they search your name?

19. Trede, Macklin and Bridges (2012): review of
the professional identity literature
• Transformative nature of professional identity development, personal-sense-making and
student participation
• Transformation/transformative learning
• Changes to frames of reference (mindsets, habits, meanings), assumptions
and expectations which impact on our actions
• What are your thoughts about 'transformation' as a process? What does it mean? What
does it entail?

20. Transformational learning:
Jack Mezirow
• He was led to conclude that individuals do not apply old ways to new learning situations;
instead, they find the need to acquire new perspectives towards something to
understand the change in an event better.
• Mezirow describes Transformative learning as the expansion of consciousness through
which an individual can question themselves about their own feelings, beliefs,
assumptions, and perspective on their purpose.
• During his research on adult women who successfully studied in public universities, Jack
Mezirow describes ten phases that frequently occurred in this perspective
transformation

21. Transformational learning:
Jack Mezirow
Phases of transformational learning:
• disorientation;
• range of feelings;
• discontent;
• exploration of new roles;
• Relationships;
• Actions;
• planning a course of action;
• new knowledge and skills;
• building competence and confidence in new role
• developing the new role/position/relationship further