Ethnic identity divergence within extended family groups: a conceptual model of mechanisms and factors, and a South-Azerbaijani case study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This study examines how systematic identity divergence emerges within extended family networks – bounded kinship groups sharing foundational linguistic, cultural, and socialization experiences. Existing literature documents variation across broad ethnic populations, but comparatively little attention has been paid to how divergence becomes systematically organized under conditions of high baseline similarity. Addressing this gap, the paper develops the Extended-Family Identity Divergence (EFID) model, a conceptual framework explaining how differentiated identity trajectories emerge from the interaction of shared foundations and three core micro-level mechanisms: affective resonance, institutional encounters, and individual interpretation. Empirical grounding is provided through a qualitative case study of a multi-generational extended family (n = 41), where participants self-position along a seven-point identity spectrum. The extended family is from the Azerbaijani ethnic group living in Iran (also referred to as South Azerbaijanis). The findings reveal that divergence is not randomly distributed but produces patterned clustering – individuals concentrate in intermediate positions while respecting cultural-normative boundaries. This demonstrates that identity divergence within extended families is a normal, mechanism-driven feature rather than anomalous variation. The model contributes to scholarship on identity formation by offering an integrated framework for examining systematic divergence in bounded, high-similarity contexts.
Source: Social Identities
Author: Vəhid Goruslu
Institutions: Queen's University Belfast, Azerbaijan Technical University
Language: English
Subfield: Cultural Studies
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Reduced inequalities
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7134928410