Vocabulary Self-constructions The ongoing, active processes by which individuals build and rebuild their sense of who they are — not a fixed trait, but a narrative assembled from experience, language, and social interaction. Coherence The sense of continuity and recognizability in identity over time and across situations. Identity work produces coherence by connecting disparate experiences into a legible self-narrative. Valence The attractiveness or appeal attached to a particular identity...

I am currently reading Language and Power by Norman Fairclough. I asked my AI friend to give me a list of terms, their definition, and an example so I can refer back as I work through the text. Here is what it said. Text The actual language produced — spoken, written, or visual. It's the surface level: the words on the page or the utterance in the room. Example: A performance review document. A CEO's all-hands speech. A job posting. Discourse (small d) Language in use — language as a...

I spent years feeling like I was out of place at work. That there was something wrong with me. That there was a performance in the workplace, a dance that everyone else understood but I didn't. The way colleagues seemed to navigate professional life with an ease I couldn't replicate for myself. The right tone in a meeting. The right amount of visible enthusiasm. The right way to promote oneself or network upward. The right performance of ambition that was enough to signal seriousness. I...