Social Identity and Communicative Boundaries

This study examines the boundaries of youth and young adult street persons and their strategies of communicating social identity. This communicative process is observed in the daily lives of these young speakers as they interact with other community members. The article discusses the various membership sets (Sacks) speakers call upon in constructing social identities. Youth and young adult street speakers rely on membership sets that conflict with those employed by parents, legislators, and other community members. The young street speakers attempt to challenge the membership sets of the more powerful speakers but are unsuccessful.