CULTURE & IDENTITY - IDENTITY Flashcards
identity
what is meant by identity?
->the distinct characteristics of a person’s character, their relationships with other people and their place in the social world
->this may include gender, religion, ethnicity, age, and position
->there are 2 types of identity: primary identity and secondary identity (Primary identities are those that have the most consistent and enduring impact on our lives, such as race, gender, and nationality. Secondary identities, such as college major, occupation, and marital status, are more fluid and more dependent on situation.)
how is identity related to culture?
->”cultural identity” refers to being able to associate with and feel like part of a group based on its culture
->while culture often refers to heritage or race, cultural identity can be found in social classes, locality, generation or other types of groups as well
gender identity
-sex is biological, gender is cultural expectations of masculinity/femininity
->eg. masculinity = aggressive, independent dominant // femininity = submissive, indecisive
-gender role socialisation (Ann Oakley)
->manipulation (parents encourage behaviour that fits gender stereotypes, eg. “boys don’t cry”, “you throw like a girl”)
->canalisation (boys and girls channelled into “appropriate” activities, boys given boys toys eg. tools, girls given girls toys eg. dolls)
->verbal appellations (girls called “angel” or “princess”, boys called “little monster” - encourages aggression)
->different activities (girls taken to dance classes or kept at home “to help mom”, boys taken to football training and other sports clubs)
class and identity
define what is meant by the term “social class”?
->social class refers to divisions in society based on economic and social status
->people in the same social class typically share a similar level of wealth, educational achievement, type of job, and income
->the formulation of social class in Britain is divided into 3 main classes: working, middle, and upper class
THE UPPER CLASS:
-made up of a fairly small number (1%) of wealthy extended families who are often interconnected by marriage
-tend to share common background in terms of an elite education at expensive private schools such as Eton college or Harrow, and Oxford and Cambridge universities
-they control the majority of wealth and power in British society
THE MIDDLE CLASS:
-broad term to describe the non-manual workers
-probably the biggest group in our society
-often have higher levels of educational achievement, and middle class jobs include everything from doctors and lawyers to clerical work
THE WORKING CLASS:
-the working class is comprised of around 46% of the UK, but around 60% believe themselves to be working class
-the classic, traditional working class jobs include heavy labouring and factory based work
-individuals engaged in manual work often have low levels of educational achievement
ethnicity and identity
-ethnicity is a social construct that defines the cultural traits that society thinks are important, classed according to common racial or cultural origin
ethnicity acts as an agent of socialisation, influencing how we perceive our identity:
->family: the first place people learn their ethnicity is through their family, often through the language spoken at home. Tariq Modood (2005) suggested that, in addition to language, there may be food, dress, and family traditions that teach ethnicity
->religion: for many families, ethnic identity is passed on through religious practice. Butler (1995) said that religion was central to the way that Muslim girls created an identity; for themselves and that Islam provided a real moral guide to young women
->hybrid identities: refers to the idea of living in 2 different cultures, and adopting whichever feels the most appropriate at the time (eg. Asian and British heritage)
nationality and identity
-National identity is different from both ethnicity and nationality and could be based on many things including, for example, culture, language or ancestry/family history.
extreme nationalism:
->may lead to extreme behaviour and conflict
->overt symbols used to differentiate “us” and “them”
->intolerance of others
civic nationalism:
->often more positive
->seen as a way of writing different people together to feel pride in their country
Guibernau and Goldblatt noted 5 key themes that make up British identity:
1. GEOGRAPHY: the fact that Britain is an island gave it a clear sense of boundaries that made it distinct from Europe; as a result of this, few people have identified themselves as European
2. RELIGION: the CoE plays a large role in many traditions in Britain, even to those who are not religious (eg. the national anthem). In times of national celebration, such as royal weddings or remembrance, religion still plays a central role in the proceedings
3. WAR: wars have reinforced a sense of “them” vs “us” and especially the British themes of self-sacrifice, perseverance, fair play, heroism, and putting up with exceptional hardship
4. THE BRITISH EMPIRE: Britain’s success as an imperial power in the 18th and 19th centuries brought economic success and a sense of pride and achievement in what was perceived as British superiority over other cultures and races
5. MONARCHY: the cultural symbol of “Britishness”, people who feel deep connections to the royal family (eg. Princess Diana, and royal weddings)
we learn British identity through socialisation:
->language: shared colloquialisms and slang
->education: history promoting British identity, English = Shakespeare, RE = CoE
->rituals: royal and state rituals celebrated by both media and education (eg. remembrance Sunday, Queen’s speech)
->symbols: the flag, uniforms, the national anthem (generally associated with national celebrations)
->media - TV and newspaper tend to encourage citizens to identify with national symbols (eg. constant coverage of the royal family)
->consumption: products that are associated with “Britishness”, eg. cars or food
