1.3 - Identity Flashcards
What is identity?
It is often defined as how you see yourself, but it is affected by how others see you (“social identity”). Identity is a product of all of the experiences a person has had through socialisation with the family , peers, education, religion (etc).
What is a hybrid identity?
A hybrid identity is a mixture of two or more influences. It is common in second and third generation immigrants?, E.G. Brasians.
Hybrid identities - NAYAK
Used the term ‘white wannabes’ to describe white British males who are influenced by black hip-hop culture, E.G. Ali G.
Ethnicity - GILROY
‘Black Atlantic’ describes young black people who aren’t rooted in the UK or their country of origin but a shared experience of racism transcends into a ‘black’ identity.
Ethnicity - HEWITT
There is a white blacklash against multiculturalism as they have perceived positive discrimination in favour of ethnic minorities.
Ethnicity - DAWNEY
Racism against European migrants existed in the rural community where there was a perceived threat and fear of number that was not necessarily true.
Resistance - CASHMORE & TROYNA
Ethnic minorities turn onwards and seek support from their own ethnic community so religion and culture is strengthened.
Hybridity - BRAH
British Asians are cultural code-switchers and participate in aspects of British and Asian culture.
What is national identity?
The identity of a whole country.
National identity - ANDERSON
A nation is an ‘imagined community’ because members will never meet each other, but socially construct an identity, E.G. Flags.
National identity - KUMAR
English find it difficult to say who they are as a quest to expand ‘Britishness’ diluted Englishness.
Changing national identities - SARDAR
Many of the old divides (E.G. East VS West) have broken down so the work is in a global identity crisis.
Responses to globalisation - HALL
1) CULTURAL HOMOGENISATION - all countries become similar and accept a global culture.
2) CULTURAL HYBRIDITY - they take in some parts of global culture as well as their traditional culture.
3) CULTURAL RESISTANCE - they resist global culture and protect their local heritage and become nationalistic.
Biological view of gender - WILSON
Men need to be promiscuous and women should stay faithful to their partner in order to reproduce.
Functionalist view of gender - PARSONS
Women have an ‘expressive role’ which is natural and involves childbearing.
Men have an instrumental role, that of breadwinner and protector.
Social construction of gender identities - HEY
Female peer groups are deeply rooted in patriarchy and expectations of how girls should be.
Social construction of gender identities - MAC AN GHAILL
Schoolboy’s main source of identity is hyper-masculinity’. Makes them into ‘macho lads’ who value the 3Fs.
Gender role socialisation in the family - OAKLEY
1) MANIPULATION - encouraging behaviour that is seen as stereotypically acceptable for that gender. E.G. Encouraging boys to get muddy.
2) CANALISATION - channelling children’s interests through toys and games. E.G. Dolls for girls.
3) VERBAL APPELLATION - giving children nicknames, E.G. ‘Soldier’ for boys.
4) DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES - encouraging children to participate in activities that reinforce stereotypes, E.G. Girls help their mother in the kitchen.
Changing female identities - JACKSON
Discovered ‘ladettes’ who spent time drinking, smoking and swearing in order to be popular.
Changing male identities - MAC AN GHAILL
WC men have lost their ‘breadwinner’ identity.
Changing male identities - CANAAN
Question employed and unemployed WC men. Unemployed men said having a job was the most important thing and felt emasculated due to their unemployment.
Social class & Capital - BOURDIEU
CULTURAL CAPITAL - knowledge and advantages that a person has which gives them higher status.
ECONOMIC CAPITAL - economic resources (cash, assets)
SOCIAL CAPITAL - resources based on group membership and networks of influence
Upper class - MACKINTOSH & MOONEY
The upperclass are invisible due to social closure, meaning their lives are separated from the rest of the population. E.G their children go to hunting or take part in hunting.
Middle class - FOX
There are ‘upper middles’ ‘middle middles’ and ‘lower middles’ to show the differences within the middle class. Thus, it is unlikely that the middle class shares a common experience.
Working class - HUTTON
The decline in trade union memberships and the manufacturing sector and the dispersal of WC communities has eroded WC identity.
Working class - SKEGGS
WC women felt humiliated but the ways others judged and dismissed them so put effort into changing their appearance, leisure activists and home decorations.
The Underclass - MURRAY
Over-generous benefits develop a culture where they do no take responsibility for their actions and expect to be looked after by the state.
Changing class identities -PAKULSKI & WATERS
We are defined by what we buy, not what we do.
Changing class identities - OFFE
Fewer individuals share a common experience of full-time work.
Strong class identities - MARSHALL
60% of the sample said they belonged to a social class. 90% could place themselves into a social class. 75% believed people are born into a class and it is difficult to love from there.
Weak class identities - SAVAGE
Few people thought Britain was a classless society.
Sexuality - WEEKS
Sexual identity is more significant for those who are not heterosexual.
Sexuality - McIntosh
There is a homosexual role in western culture where certain characteristics (effeminate mannerisms, higher voice, attention to appearance) occur. The male fulfils these characteristics when he accepts the label of ‘homosexual’ therefore, the label creates the behaviour.
Sexual identity - WEEKS (2)
Sexual identification is complex. People identity themselves as gay but do not engage in same-sex activities, but some people have same-sex activities but do not identify themselves as gay. E.G. Rent boys (REISS)
Sexual identity - PLUMMER
There is a ‘homosexual career’ where a male accepts the label of ‘homosexual’ and then seeks out others and joins a subculture where stereotypical homosexual characteristics are the norm.
Sexual identity - RICH
Women’s sexuality is oppressed by a patriarchal society through marriage, rape and sexual objectification of women. ‘Compulsory heterosexuality’ describes how women are socialised into a heterosexual role, ensuring their availability to men.
Changing views on homosexuality
1) in March 2014, same-sex couples could legally marry.
2) the 2014 commonwealth games were presented by John Barrowman and Karen Dunbar who are both openly gay.
Childhood - POSTMAN
Spread of literacy allowed adults to shield children from sexuality and death and disease, which created the ‘innocent child’.
Youth - MEAD
‘Storm and stress’ associated with youth is culturally specific.
Young adulthood/middle age - BRADLEY
Has a higher status than youth or elderly because they are the people running the country and hold the power at work. Also associated with negative times (‘mid life crisis’ and ‘empty nest syndrome’).
Old age - CORNER
Language used by older people to describe their identity was mostly negative and concerned with being dependent and a burden on society.
Old age - HOCKEY & JAMES
INFANTILISATION - old people have lost their ‘parenthood’ status and become vulnerable and needing care.
Changing age identities - FEATHERSTONE & HEPWORTH
Media images of ageing can create new identities. Also there is popularity with retro fashion and there are comeback tours.
Disability - What is the “Medical Model”?
Disability is a medical problem which causes limitations. This leads to a ‘victim-blaming’ mentality where the problem is with the disabled individual, not society.
Disability - SHAKESPEARE
Disabled people are socialised into seeing themselves as victims, this is a ‘victim mentality’.
Disability - What is the ‘social model’?
There are social and physical barriers that exclude disabled people (E.G. Design of buildings). The blame is therefore on society and it implies that disability is a social construct.
Disability - INTERACTIONISM + master status
The label ‘disabled’ carries a stigma that leads to a master status. This means it becomes the defining characteristic by which the individual is judged.
Disability - GILL
If you become disabled later in life, it is difficult to reconcile your identity. This is because you previously felt pity/fear for the group so you turn those feelings into yourself.
Disability - ZOLA
Vocabulary used to describe disabled people is discriminatory (“de-formed”, “did-eased”, “in-valid”).
Disability - Learned Helplessness
Disabled people believe they are incapable of changing a situation so fail to take action to help themselves. Policies such as segregated schooling may have created this.
Disability - MURUGAMI
Disabled people have the ability to construct a self-identity that accepts impairment but is independent of it. So they see themselves as a person, and their disability is one of their characteristics.
