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FORMS OF IDENTITY 
The political philosopher Karl Marx classified society into two broad identity forms: the 
haves and the have-nots; the oppressors and the oppressed; the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. 
This classification is based on Marx's theory of historical materialism, according to which society 
is divided into the owners of the means of production (bourgeoisie) on the one hand, and the 
working, exploited people (proletariat) on the other. 
On his part, Huntington (1996), while theorizing on the basis for post-cold war conflicts, 
provides a typology in which the world community is divided into seven or eight identity forms, 
which he termed "civilizations." These identity forms or civilizations are Western, Islamic, Latin 
American, Japanese, Hindu, Slavic-Orthodox, Confucian, and African(?). 

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Idyorough (2005:40) identifies some identity classes in Nigeria as "ethnic, religious, and 
age groups." Other forms of identity apart from those mentioned by Marx, Huntington and 
Idyorough can be gleaned from the myriad of literature available on the subject. These would 
include political identity, racial identity, national, social class, gender, clan, sexual orientation, 
religious identity, ethnic identity etc. 
It is possible within a given identity type to have sub-identities. Thus, under the Christian 
identity there are Catholics and Protestants. Islam has the Sunni, the Shi’a, the Ahmadiyya, etc. 
The Caucasian race has Jews and Aryans. 
Conflict can take any of the following forms: 
i.
Interstate conflict: that is conflict between one country and another eg. Nigeria vs 
Cameroon.
ii.
Intrastate conflict that is conflict within the country eg. Insurgency like Boko Haram in 
Nigerian, Alshabab in Somalia etc.
iii.
Inter personal conflict: that is conflict between one person and another eg. Husband and 
wife.
iv.
Intrapersonal conflict: conflict within individual.
v.
Religious conflict e.g. Christianity vs Islam.
vi.
Communal conflict: conflict between one community and another.
vii.
Intergroup conflict: conflict between one group and another.
viii.
Intra-group conflict: conflict within a group.
ix.
Political conflict: conflict between one political party and the other eg. PDP and APC in 
Nigeria.