Riley explores in considerable detail questions of how language shapes people's identities and vice versa.  A definitive sociolinguistic study of this sort necessarily demands a comprehensive understanding of social psychology, anthropology, history, language variations, and a host of related subjects.  Riley is remarkably well informed in these fields...the author is skilled in presenting material in ways that will engage and interest readers... Summing Up: Recommended

- R. B. Shuman,

Riley's volume provides a detailed and knowledgeable overview of the rich range of literature dealing with identity as a social phenomenon. In addition to providing the reader with an informative survey of the literature on the sociology of identity, the book reminds us of the myriad ways in which we use language to perform acts of identity on a daily basis.

- Discourse & Communication,

An insightful work in its multi-disciplinary approach to the critically important but intellectually challenging questions surrounding the ongoing formation of social identity. The book's extensive and helpful bibliographic passages on the evolution of scholarly thought in the areas of identity and culture, and its intriguing theoretical work on the independent relationship of these three areas of human experience, constitute a welcome and valuable contribution to the social identity literature.

- Journal of Sociolinguistics, Journal of Sociolinguistics