The paper provides an oveerview of approaches to identity and analyses consequences of transfer of identity notion from socio-psychological and socio-cultural sphere into practical politics. Boundaries for interdisciplinary research of indetity are defined. Author concludes that indentity issues acquire in contemporary academic discourse and interdisciplinary character. Explanatory and discourse potential of the category makes students apply it to different areas of social reality. However, methodological consistency of the framework “essentalism – constructivism” and “individual – collective indentity” as a basis for interpreting research subject are still essential to formation of identity theory.