In this concise introduction, Florian Coulmas seeks to highlight the main questions surrounding identity, discussing its role in politics, literature, and philosophy.

Whether it be in politics, art, or everyday speech, we are increasingly concerned with issues of identity. But what does 'identity' actually mean?

The concept of identity varies across different eras, cultures, and disciplines, making it a slippery word to define.

Florian Coulmas is a German linguist, author, and Senior Professor for Japanese Society and Sociolinguistics at the University of Duisburg-Essen.

In this book, Coulmas sets out to shed light on the significance and meaning of identity in various contexts.