Identity politics is defined by one’s own identity based on race, ethnicity, gender, language religion. It is the politics of recognition and a movement to claim recognition. A person may have multiple identities but he perceives only a single identity at a time. Movements of lesbians, black civil rights, wave of feminists etc., have brought legitimacy to identity politics.

Causes for the rise of identity politics are as follows:

1. Maladministration leads to the poor economic growth of a particular region or geographical backwardness of the people of a particular ethnic identity. 

2. The rise of regional parties has created the local awareness of language or region.

3. Extreme poverty, exploitation, lack of opportunity and threat to existing group privileges to the ethnic groups. 

4. Ethnic groups’ fear of assimilation resulting in cultural dilution. 

5. Rise in standard of living, literacy and aspiration, sociopolitical awareness have led to identity politics. 

6. Lack of share in natural resources, fear of loss of land, political power and economic growth. 

7. Fear of losing scope in educational employment fields. 

8. Fear of losing ethnic identities like language and culture.