In the Name of Identity: Violence and the Need to Belong

Synopsis

I want to try and understand why so many people commit crimes in the name of identity," writes Amin Maalouf. Identity is the crucible out of which we come: our background, our race, our gender, our tribal affiliations, our religion (or lack thereof), all go into making up who we are. All too often, however, the notion of identity--personal, religious, ethnic, or national--has given rise to heated passions and even massive crimes. Moving across the world's history, faiths, and politics, he argues against an oversimplified and hostile interpretation of the concept.