Abstract
This paper explores the development of collective identity in social movements using the Jungian concept of shadow (Jung, 1951). Although scholars generally agree that a strong collective identity is essential for the continuity of a social movement, there are still debates about whether identity construction in social movements is at the individual, group, or collective level. This ambiguity highlights the need to understand the relationship between different levels of identities and how identity is shaped among heterogeneous groups that make up a social movement. Jung's psychology includes various layers such as cultural, social, and group, and is considered a psychosocial theory that can provide an in-depth understanding of the psychosocial processes of developing collective identities in social movements.
We therefore ask the following research question: How does the Jungian concept of shadow impact the development of collective identity in a social movement across heterogeneous group identities? The research methods include 16 semi-structured interviews, a review of two leading national newspapers (Cumhuriyet and Milliyet) between 1970 and 2022, and three feminist magazines (Kaktus, Feminist, and Pazartesi) published between 1995 and 2007.
The research findings indicate that a conscious relationship with the shadow, which is created simultaneously with identity at all levels, appears to have a transformative power on the emotions of group members, which has a positive impact on the development of the movement's collective identity. The study makes two contributions. First, the theoretical contribution emerges from using the Jungian concept of shadow and applying it to the study of collective identity development in social movements. Secondly, it contributes empirically to the understanding of the development of collective identity through the case study of a social movement using the Jungian concept of shadow, providing a psychosocial perspective on collective identities that exist at the movement and group levels.