Multiple Identities as Viewed by Eriksonian Theory and its Critics: A Psychological Perspective with Relevance to Contemporary Jewish Education

The first part of this paper presents the issue of "multiple identities"
as it has been addressed in Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory and as it
has been addressed by Erikson's critics. Within psychology the debate
surrounding Erikson's theory has focused on a) whether and how the
current sociological postmodern context engenders a fragmentation
of identity, b) whether this should be viewed as problematic, and c)
whether psychology itself reflects and contributes to problematizing
multiple identities. The second part of the paper discusses this debate's
possible relevance to the field of Jewish education by presenting a series
of issues around which Jewish educators might deliberate as they seek
to apply insights from this psychological debate to their work. In both
parts of the article, a third level of intermediate positions is presented as
an alternative to the dichotomizing debate.