Moving across disciplines and genres : reading identity in illness narratives and reflective writing texts

For this chapter, we propose to discuss the concept of identity within the two different text genres of life writing and reflective writing, situated within the larger field of illness narratives. We consider the concept of identity construction an ideal entry point for our analyses since both the reading of narratives and the creation of reflective writing texts crucially rely on recognizing and acknowledging self and other. These skills have been recognized as absolutely vital for the formation of future doctors to ensure successful interaction between them and their patients.