Abstract
Identity work—or the processes by which people form, repair, maintain, strengthen, or revise their sense of self at work—indicates, at least implicitly, agency or intentionality on the part of the individual engaged in these processes. This stream of research implies individuals to be identity-makers, who play an active role in determining their identities, and in prioritizing identities at work. Yet, research has also shown that external entities such as interaction partners, organizational or occupational norms, or even implicit or subconscious processes can influence or even force individuals to adopt or enact certain identities, suggesting that individuals are also identity-takers in the identity construction process. To systematically examine individuals as identity makers and takers, our symposium brings together four papers that explicate these questions: (1) What are the constraints upon agency in identity work processes and how do they operate? (2) Is agency in identity construction always desired? (3) Is agency in identity construction always individual- or self-focused? To encourage meaningful discussions on the topic between presenters and the audience, our symposium will adopt a roundtable format rather than feature a discussant, after the paper presentations.