Changing identities in changing societies:
A narrative for empirical research on entrepreneurial identity construction
Abstrakti
The starting point for this article is the notion that
changing societies imply re-definitions of social
identities. A framework concerning the process of
identity construction is presented as a basis for
empirical studies on identity transformations in
changing societies. The suggested narrative is
exemplified with people moving from unemployment
to entrepreneurship, i.e. situations where identities
are assumed to be questioned and consequently
re-defined. Notions on identities in different
settings, such as gendered entrepreneurial
identities, are thus also being proposed. The article
puts forward the suggestion that identities can be
empirically studied through narration. ln order to
carry out empirical research on identity
transformations, it is proposed that there are some
particularly significant focal points to consider.
Hence, the article concludes with a proposal for
how to carry out empirical research on changing
identities.
