Social representations, identity and social relations among non-heterosexual British Asian men

Abstract

This chapter explores and compares social representations, identity and social relations among non-heterosexual British Asian Indian and British Pakistani men. After an overview of two relevant theories from social psychology - Identity Process Theory and Social Representations Theory, the chapter outlines dominant social representations of sexuality that inform individuals’ meaning-making, the impact of these representations for identity processes, how individuals cope with potential threats to identity, and the development and management of social relations. It is argued that being Asian and gay can result in threatened identity, leading to low psychological well-being and negative interpersonal relations.