GOA FOCAL POINT 2: Identity
GOA FOCAL POINT 2: Identity
Adam Svendsen, PROJECT GOA Editor-in-Chief
Introduction:
In March 2011, the UK underwent its Census. Reportedly, for ‘the first time’, one of the questions on the British Census concerned that of ‘identity’ (see: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7778314.stm). In the Southwest of the UK, in Cornwall, it has also been reported that ‘People [are being] urged to say [that] they are “Cornish” on [the] census’ (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-12809366). A good place to begin discussion is with a general definition of ‘identity’.
A definition of ‘identity’:
Most relevantly for this GOA FOCAL POINT, the word ‘identity’ in the English language is broadly defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as: ‘1 the fact of being who or what a person or thing is… the characteristics determining who or what a person or thing is… 2 a close similarity or affinity…’ It also originates from around the ‘late 16th century (in the sense “quality of being identical”): from late Latin “identitas”, from Latin idem “same”.’ – see: http://oxforddictionaries.com/view/entry/m_en_gb0398510#m_en_gb0398510.
The ‘challenge’:
But what does this all mean? To an extent this question regarding ‘identity’ depends on (what can be regarded as) subjective-leaning judgements determining ‘where’ and ‘how “dividing lines” are drawn’, such as which ‘levels of analysis’ or ‘criteria’ are adopted, and at which ‘level’ differences are demarcated, and outcomes do vary according to which ‘criteria’ are selected. The issue of ‘identity’ can clearly raise many questions. Some of these range across areas, such as:
- What does it mean to be British/Australian/a ‘national’ or ‘citizen’ of a particular country?
- What does it mean to be ‘Western’/'Eastern’/'Northern’/'Southern’?
- A liberal democratic state in an era of globalisation?
- Can we possess ‘multiple identities’?
- What is the relationship between ‘identity’ and other expansive concepts, such as ‘culture’?
- Can ‘multiple identities’ be discussed in the same terms as other hard-to-define concepts such as ‘multiculturalism’?
- Are there any ‘clear answers’ regarding questions to do with ‘identity’, or is the issue of ‘identity’ beyond being subject to effective generalisation?
- To what extent are questions concerning identity ‘abstract’, and should we care?
- How concerned should we be about ‘constructed phenomena’ such as ‘identity’?
What do you think? Leave your comment below!
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Comments (7)
2009 Videoconference Report
For anyone with access to academic journals, some of the following collection of essays covering ‘identity’-themes from the recently published April 2011 edition of the journal ‘Nations & Nationalism’ might be of interest and of use to this discussion – for access and abstracts, see:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nana.2011.17.issue-2/issuetoc
Overlapping with the discussion related to the GOA FOCAL POINT concentrating on the theme of ‘radicalisation/de-radicalisation’ – click here: http://goa-intelligence.org/main/goa-focal-points/goa-focal-point-1-radicalisationde-radicalisation – another relevant area, which can be highlighted when discussing the theme of ‘identity’, is that of ‘multiculturalism’.
The following recent sources are worth visiting for opening up some of the discussion on ‘multiculturalism’ themes, see, e.g.:
‘The Dis-Integration of Europe’ via:
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/03/28/the_dis_integration_of_europe?print=yes&hidecomments=yes&page=full
and
‘Feeling Betrayed: The Roots of Muslim Anger at America’, via:
http://www.brookings.edu/press/Books/2011/feelingbetrayed.aspx?p=1
Concerns are simultaneously present that ‘multiculturalism’, certainly in Europe, is becoming increasingly besieged, even ‘politicised’:
http://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/liz-fekete/coordinated-attack-on-multiculturalism
The articles contained in the latest issue of the ‘Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies’ also help to inform in this area in an overlapping manner:
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=g937670758
Adding to the topical theme of ‘multiculturalism’, it receives further analysis in the June 2011 issue of Chatham House’s publication, ‘The World Today’ – see:
http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/twt/archive/view/-/id/2159/
During July 2011, Belgium has also joined France in banning women from wearing the full veil in public:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14261921?print=true
Both Aslak Sira Myhre and Matthew Goodwin writing recently in The Guardian suggest that, beyond merely a national response to the recent Norway attacks, a regional pan-European approach towards addressing some of the issues under current discussion, such as the theme of ‘multiculturalism’, would be helpful:
Aslak Sira Myhre, ‘Norway’s tragedy must shake Europe into acting on extremism’:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/ju?24/norway-tragedy-extremism-europe/print
Matthew Goodwin, ‘We can no longer ignore the far-right threat’:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/ju?24/norway-bombing-attack-far-right/print
(See also the other sources cited in related GOA FOCAL POINTs ranging across similar themes).
New! Project GOA announces a CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS on the theme of ‘identity’, designed to further extend the discussions undertaken in this GOA FOCAL POINT.
Follow the link below for further information:
http://goa-intelligence.org/main/call-for-presentations