Questions Of Cultural Identity

Why and how do contemporary questions of culture so readily become highly charged questions of identity? The question of cultural identity lies at the heart of current debates in cultural studies and social theory. At issue is whether those identities which defined the social and cultural world of modern societies for so long - distinctive identities of gender, sexuality, race, class and nationality - are in decline, giving rise to new forms of identification and fragmenting the modern individual as a unified subject. Questions of Cultural Identity offers a wide-ranging exploration of this issue. Stuart Hall firstly outlines the reasons why the question of identity is so compelling and yet so problematic. The cast of outstanding contributors then interrogate different dimensions of the crisis of identity; in so doing, they provide both theoretical and substantive insights into different approaches to understanding identity.

Culture and Identity by Anita Jones Thomas and Sara E. Schwarzbaum engages students with autobiographical stories that show the intersections of culture as part of identity formation. The easy-to-read stories centered on such themes as race, ethnicity, gender, class, religion, sexual orientation, and disability tell the real-life struggles with identity development, life events, family relationships, and family history. The Third Edition includes an expanded framework model that encompasses racial socialization, oppression, and resilience. New discussions of timely topics include race and gender intersectionality, microaggressions, enculturation, cultural homelessness, risk of journey, spirituality and wellness, and APA guidelines for working with transgendered individuals.

Cultural displacement -- physical dislocation from one's native culture or the colonizing imposition of a foreign culture -- is one of the most formative experiences of our century. These essays examine the impact of this experience on contemporary notions of cultural identity from the perspectives of anthropology, history, philosophy, literature, and psychology.

Cultural Identity In Transition Analyses The Challenges That Globalisation And Modernisation Have Brought To Cultural Identity In Recent Years. This Collection Of Articles Highlights Some Of The Central Theoretical Ideas And Models Currently Used In The Analysis Of Cultural Identity In The Social And Cultural Sciences.While The Book S Main Regional Focus Is On Northern Europe, This Is Complemented By Several Case Studies Addressing Issues Of Cultural Identity In Indigenous And Ethnic Communities, In Literary And Artistic Expression, And In Terms Of National Politics Around The World.The Book Discusses In Detail The Questions Like : What Is At Stake In The Global Culture Industry In Terms Of Cultural Identity? How Do The Internet And Information Technology In General Empower Local Communities? What Kinds Of Political Struggles And Conflicts Can Be Associated With The Processes Of Cultural Identity? Cultural Identities Are In Transition, But In What Direction Are They Moving?Cultural Identity In Transition Will Be Essential Reading For University Students And Researchers In Sociology, Anthropology, And Cultural And Literary Studies.

As people throughout the world react to globalization and revert to nationalism, they are proclaiming distinct cultural identities for themselves. Cultural identity seems to offer a defensive wall against the homogenizing effects of globalization and a framework for nurturing and protecting cultural differences. In this short and provocative book, François Jullien argues that this emphasis on cultural identity is a mistake. Cultures exist in relation to one another and they are constantly mutating and transforming themselves. There is no cultural identity, there are only what Jullien calls ‘resources’. Resources are created in a certain space, they are available to all and belong to no one. They are not exclusive, like the values to which we proclaim loyalty; instead, we deploy them or not, activate them or let them fall by the wayside, and each of us as individuals is responsible for these choices. This conceptual shift requires us to redefine three key terms – the universal, the uniform and the common. Equipped with these concepts, we can rethink the dialogue between cultures in a way that avoids what Jullien sees as the false debate about identity and difference. This powerful critique of the modern shibboleth of cultural identity will appeal to anyone interested in the great social and political questions of our time.

Being equipped to confront issues related to racial and ethnic diversity is a crucial skill for Canadians. This new edition of Seeing Ourselves uses a collection of personal comments and essays, written by students from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds, to examine what it means to participate in the cultural and ethnic "mosaic" that comprises Canada today. Carl James creates a dialogue with students and readers that probes the meaning of ethnicity, race and culture, both in terms of the meanings individuals bring to these concepts and how they are understood in Canadian society as a whole. The varied perspectives, detailed analyses and careful reflections will be invaluable to anyone seeking to understand the meaning and implications of ethnic diversity in Canadian society today. To facilitate classroom discussion, this edition also includes background information and new, up-to-date statistics on the Canadian population - immigration trends, ethnic composition, religious affiliation and other characteristics of Canadians.

This book provides the latest research in ethnic and cultural identity. The first chapter examines the relationship between ethnic identity, culture, body dissatisfaction and related disorder eating behaviors among diverse ethnic groups of adolescent and young female adults. The second chapter discusses migrants' perceptions of intergroup relations and ethnic group statue in the host society. The third chapter provides an overview of research on perceived discrimination, which is considered the most severe stressor for minority individuals given its persuasive impact on health and well-being. The fourth and fifth chapters include discussions on the relationship between openness to experience, ethnocentrism, and ethnic prejudice, and the effects of language policy on ethnic minority language maintenance among a relatively newer community in Manchester. The sixth chapter examines how social, gendered, and economic forces have changed the ways in which family systems create and sustain a familial identity. The second half of the book includes a narrative analysis to explore how a sample of Muslim-identified women attributed meaning to the practice of veiling and the contexts by which women decided to - or not to -wear the hijab; a summary of the results of a qualitative study exploring the influence of discrimination on identity negotiation in transracial international adoptees; provides a review of established health risks to Latino-identifying persons in the United States and successful interventions with various samples; deconstructs the Latin lover stereotype; and finally, maps racial neoliberalism in U.S. popular culture.