Social Identity

'Social Identity and the New Testament' is a new module to be delivered by Prof. Philip Esler in the autumn of 2010.

Prof. Esler describes the module: 'In this module students will become familiar with the area of social psychology known as "social identity theory", which, very broadly, explores how members of groups gain identity from belonging to them and how groups interact with one another. This material will then be applied to a number of areas of the New Testament, from Paul and Luke-Acts especially, to see how it sheds light on New Testament approaches to group belonging and intergroup relationships. This analysis will form the basis for the consideration of New Testament insights in these areas in relation to contemporary issues such as the creation of identities in groups, intragroup behaviour, leadership of groups and the reduction of intergroup tension and conflict.'

By the end of the module students will be able to:

• Demonstrate proficiency in understanding social identity theory and its relevance to many pressing issues, such as the nature of individual and group identities, leadership and the resolution of intergroup conflict, especially where ethnicity is relevant to the conflict in question.
• Demonstrate proficiency in showing how social identity theory can be fruitfully applied to a range of New Testament texts and passages.
• Critically assess the extent to which New Testament passages and texts as understood using social identity theory can be applied to a range of pressing contemporary issues, especially those were ethnic identity or ethnic conflict and group leadership are involved.

The content of the Residential Study Week will normally include: an outline of social identity theory (and its closely related cousin, self-categorisation theory); lectures giving critical consideration to how this theory has been applied to particular New Testament passages and texts, including those related to ethnicity and ethnic conflict; seminars will explore how New Testament data understood through the lens of social identity theory may assist in understanding and solving problems in our contemporary world. The units of study within the remainder of the module (online) will include:

• Unit One – Recognising and transcending ethnic identity in Luke-Acts.
• Unit Two – Recognising and transcending ethnic identity in Galatians and Romans.
• Unit Three – Leadership in Corinth in a social identity perspective.
• Unit Four – Application to particular contemporary issues.