Once in Orange Always in Orange? The Cognitive, Emotional and Material Elements of De-Identification and Logic Resilience

Individuals within society are shaped by the institutional logics that have come to shape their identities. In this dissertation I explore how actors de-identify with the identities prescribed by institutional logics during a transition that renders these identities unproductive and inappropriate. In particular I examine the types of identity work previously incarcerated men engage in during the transition from prison back into society as they attempt to shed and de-identify with “convict identities”. My findings reveal that institutional logics have a resilient, that is enduring, influence on identity in the face of transition even when the identities prescribed by these logics are unproductive and potentially harmful. I find that identity work can be constrained and constituted by institutional logics and disable processes of de-identification. However, my findings also reveal that institutional logics can be de-activated though reflexive identity work. This identity work involves opening up, talking critically, and self-regulating to envision a new sense of self. Sustained de-identification through reflexive identity work is enabled by the availability and accessibility of alternative logics that are meaningful and believable and by emotion work to foster feelings of acceptance and faith. However, sustained de-identification is constrained by identity regulation and the absence of institutional materials. This dissertation thus highlights the importance of cognition, emotion and materiality to the resilience of institutional logics and de-identification.