Media and Building Post-Modern Social Identity

According to Giddens’ symbolic interaction theory and his structuration theory, identity is a constructed entity, subject to evaluation by individuals within a social context. Drawing on these theories and using a documentary methodology, the present article examines transformation of social identity in post-modern era (which is under the influence of media) and points out that in a context suffering lack of post-modern uncertainty, both the role and structure of media is subject to transformation, and principles related to social identity have changed. In this process, also, mass media have created some kind of fluid consumption identity through focusing on diversity and fragmentation of social styles. The article, finally, proposes a critical approach to media based on which media kill human flexibility and degrade him to a passive single-dimensional entity (consumer).