Second language identities offers a critique of past and present studies in identity and adult second language learning research as well as suggestions for future directions in the field. Block begins with a summary of the key poststructuralist theories that have set the stage for current identity research in the social sciences and second language learning studies. He demonstrates how conflict is a central theme in theories that concern identity and that, in the sociological tradition, identities are conceptualized not as individual psyches, but as social constructions. He discusses a variety of influential theories, such as Erving Goffman’s work on the presentation of self, Chris Weedon’s theory of subjectivity, Judith Butler’s work on gender, and Bronwyn Davies & Rom Harré’s theory of positioning. He then outlines seven common themes that current research has focused on: ethnicity and race, gender, social class, national, migrant, and language identity.

Block describes several older second language learning studies that took a more fixed approach to identity and tended to view identity exclusively in relation to language proficiency. He makes a case for the presence or suggestion of identity in earlier second language learning research, such as Wallace Lambert’s work on Canadian French/English bilingualism and Richard Schmidt’s on acquisition of Portuguese in Brazil. He then juxtaposes more recent studies in three extensively investigated areas of research in adult second language learning and identity. Studies from each context are summarized and examined for the potential types of emergent identities.

Block first explores migrant contexts. He demonstrates how there are rich possibilities for identity formation in the target language and illustrates the role of class, local lingua francas, and masculinity in second language identity formation. However, he concludes that identity formation in foreign language contexts is limited because learners often do not have opportunities to engage in authentic target language interaction. Finally, Block provides a wide range of studies in study-abroad contexts and claims that this setting carries potential for learners to develop identities in the target language. He insightfully points out that the types of identities formed through study-abroad experiences are often confounded by the linguistic and cultural baggage that students bring with them. Sometimes, study-abroad experiences end up reinforcing the learner’s sense of national identity instead of fostering identity formation in the target language.

Block concludes the book by nicely building off the comments and observations he makes throughout it, delineating five future directions for identity and second language learning research. He calls for (i) greater emphasis on social class, (ii) problematizing what constitutes a learner’s L1 and cultural background, (iii) recognition and incorporation of local lingua francas, (iv) further exploration of electronically mediated second language learning, and (v) going beyond the sociological lens to include psychoanalytical frameworks.

This book provides a good overview of key poststructuralist theories and influential studies in second language learning and identity. It offers thoughtful comments and points out limitations and strengths of identity work in second language learning as well as relevant suggestions for future research.