Identity Work: Enactment of Racial-Ethnic Identity in Everyday Life

In this theoretical analysis, we discuss the attributional and enactment approaches to identity and present a new ethnic-racial identity enactment model derived from extant theory and research. We highlight modes of identity work that provide (1) self-concept and self-esteem protection; (2) achievement and success during everyday encounters; (3) a sense of belonging and attachment to one’s ascriptive group; and (4) the relation between internalized oppression and internalized racism in everyday exchanges. We discuss the integration of self-concept mechanisms with mindsets and intentions specific to ethnic-racial identity dynamics. The article ends by highlighting a research procedure that fuses the attributional and enactment approaches to identity research.