This chapter provides a summary of work on the individualization thesis and its implications for identity. It addresses the key contributions of the theorists, with particular attention to the disagreements and contradictions within and between their works. The chapter discusses the most common and most important critiques of the individualization thesis. It deals with a discussion of the significance of the individualization thesis for studies of identity. Therapy typically encourages individuals to work on themselves and to implement practices such as journaling and “autobiography.” Like Anthony Giddens, Ulrich Beck regards “basic security” as a fundamental prerequisite of modern individualization, and he sees the welfare state as a key component in this framework of ontological certainty. The individualization theorists all document the demise of tradition and community in determining and supporting behaviours, the rising dependency of individuals on institutions, and the risks and dilemmas associated with individualized biographies.