Cultural Identity Essays (Examples)

Cultural Identity

Cultural Identity

In the case of Justine, cultural / religious beliefs could stand in the way of saving Justine's life. But if her grandmother insists that cultural beliefs (cutting the skin to open a place for surgery of the heart will ruin her life when reincarnation happens) prevent the possibility of closing the hole in her heart, and the mother of Justine agrees, healthcare professionals have no choice but to postpone surgery for the hole in the heart muscle. It is not the place of Western medicine to pass judgment on Laotian / Buddhist values and beliefs, no matter that a child's life may hang in the balance.

In the case of the Puerto Rican immigrant, who resists coming to the doctor's office for reasons that are very vague, she clearly has an aversion to modern medical procedures. If she truly has diabetes, hypertension, asthma and depression, she is in…… [Read More]

Cultural Identity in Schools Whether

Therefore, the selection of historiographies used to create school curricula and to inform pedagogy should be carefully selected and from as many perspectives as possible. Cultural identity does not have to be created in opposition to others. Too often, cultural identity is based on boundaries and borders rather than on commonalities.

Relying on singular interpretations of potentially biased historians is particularly problematic when issues of power and social control are taken into consideration. American public schools should be especially aware of how knowledge, power, and social control are closely interwoven. Even teachers of young children can become more aware of differential access to social and cultural capital: the means by which the rich become richer. Public schools should promote a cultural identity that is keenly aware of the problems with traditional pedagogy, traditional definitions of "culture," and traditional ways of disseminating culture.

Giroux (1999) notes that educators may need to…… [Read More]

Cultural Identity in the Namesake

Even with the fact that he feels that he would honor his father by taking on an attitude that would make it possible for him to discover that his Bengali background plays an essential role in shaping his character, Gogol simply discovers that he is a more complex individual and that it would be impossible for him to only identify with one geographical location.

Anzia Yezierska's story "Children of Loneliness" is relatively similar to the Namesake when considering that it also deals with topics like alienation from one's family and the struggle to find one's personal identity. Rachel Ravinsky, the central character in the story, feels that it would only be natural for her to abandon principles instilled in her by her parents in order to be able to adopt more 'American' ideas. Both Rachel and Gogol have a tendency to regard ideas expressed by their parents as being limiting…… [Read More]

Cultural Identity and Personal Perspective

S. without fluent English language skills.

I have always felt that my upbringing allowed me the maximum possible benefit of American society without detracting from my ability to appreciate my culture of origin. In that regard, I have always felt very confident in public and in my interpersonal relationships; I have never felt like an immigrant or a foreign national and part of my personal identity definitely includes "American" components that are less often shared by those who were not born in this country. On the other hand, I have also always maintained strong ties to my culture of origin, particularly within my extended family relations and in our respective homes. Especially during Hispanic holidays and other social occasions, the events taking place in my parents' home could easily be envisioned as occurring in another country.

While all of us sometimes converse amongst one another in English, particularly important (or…… [Read More]

Cultural Identity as it Pertains

Kymlicka is onto a good point in mentioning how Canada's social welfare system is a fairly unique benefit, springing from a uniquely Canadian attitude towards its citizens and the role of the state in the lives of its citizens. Kymlicka helps his constructive definition of Canadians by pointing out that they are almost unique in the OECD by not dismantling their social welfare benefits in the 1990's. Whether one agrees or disagrees with this definition, it is worth explaining why Canada has stood out from other OECD countries in this sense while maintaining high growth. Instead, Kymlicka reverts to the point about the United States, and the differentiation in social welfare systems -- again bolstering the image of Canada as 'not the United States.'

Kymlicka is on much stronger ground when talking about diversity within Canada. This is a more historically- and culturally-based method to explain how Canada is developing…… [Read More]

Racial Cultural Identity Development Model

Racial/Cultural Identity Development Model

There are five distinct stages found within the racial/cultural identity development model. These stages include conformity, dissonance, resistance and immersion, introspection and integrative awareness. Not all individuals of a racial/cultural minority experience all of these stages -- some stages can last considerably longer than others and it is possible for people to vacillate between stages. However, the initial stage is conformity to the behavior, norms, and values of a dominant culture on the part of an individual who is a racial or cultural minority. The individual identifies with the dominant culture and wants to fit into it and perceives himself as though he were a part of this dominant culture. It is not uncommon for people to experience shame and negative feelings about both themselves and their minority racial/cultural group in this stage.

The next stage is dissonance, which is a crucial stage because it is…… [Read More]

Acculturation and Cultural Identity Are

Hall & Ramirez (1993) define cultural identity as the "set of behaviors, beliefs, values, and norms defined by the ethnic group(s) to which we belong and develop through the process of growing up" (p. 613). The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) identify the accumulated knowledge, unique skills, and unique values as markers of cultural identity (2009). Generally, cultural identity can be conceived of as the group of which an individual calls herself a part. With this label come specific traditions, languages, food, clothing, grooming habits, music, and other cultural markers.

In contrast to this relatively stable notion of cultural identity, Fierlbeck (1996) argues that culture is ever-changing, "continually fluctuating and metamorphosing" (p. 12). She also states that cultures are constantly 'bumping into' eachother, overlapping and shifting (Fierlbeck, 1996). In short, Fierlbeck (1996) argues against the usefulness of the term "cultural identity," positing that identies are just as…… [Read More]

Britain The Cultural Identity of

"

History establishes that communities develop identities through economic and social necessity. A much more current view of nationalism than in Anderson might read as follows:

The national world order is a distinct from, and in opposition to, other world orders. It claims, and effectively controls, all land surface on Earth. The national world order is an autonomy-minimizing world order. It sets rigid limits on which states are legitimate, and in effect suppresses all non-nation states, and refuses to grant them superiority or soveriengty.

States are historically linked to one single tangible territory. Despite its association with war, a world order of nation states minimizes territorial conflict - at least compared to a world of expansionist universalist states (empires of conquest).

State formation is limited to one type of group: nations or peoples. These groups have distinct characteristics: permanence, transgenerationality, and long-term convergence around a core culture that survives temporary…… [Read More]

Reconciliation and Cultural Identity in

Rather than hope for a new life, it is Ona's tragic suicide that introduces us to Ng's Bone. The novel takes place for the most part in San Francisco's Chinatown, where we observe Leila, Ona's sister, deconstructs detail after detail in an attempt to find the reason for her sister's death. In so doing, Leila finds that she must try and reconcile her Chinese heritage with her American identity, without, in the modern Chinese-American community, going too far in either direction.

Unlike Love Medicine, which is ultimately a linear story that takes many loops into the past between beginning and end, Bone's structure is more circular beginning and ending very close to the same point in time. At the beginning of the novel, as a modern Chinese-American woman, we learn that she is not the deferential stereotype of a Chinese daughter, who lashed out at her father in a store.…… [Read More]

Cultural Identity We Are All

" Taking into consideration these three stages, I would position myself in the second stage - that of cultural identity search. I am aware of my cultural background and I always have been, but the fact that I live in the multicultural American society made it hard for me to fully embrace my cultural heritage. I am at a stage in my life when I feel the need to understand my culture in order to better understand who I am. The fact that I am aware of my cultural appurtenance does not mean that I completely embrace my cultural identity. Learning about my cultural heritage is the path towards better understanding who I am and identifying myself with the cultural group that I belong to.… [Read More]

Identity Development Is a Topic That Has

Identity development is a topic that has been studied for some time. There are two main ways to address it: as young children who are just developing an identity and as adults who are changing or developing an identity they never created or did not like as a child. Each person, as he or she grows, develops a distinct and separate identity from other people (Willemsen & Waterman, 1991). While an individual may change over time, there is a part of that person's identity that generally remains the same as it was when it was first developed. The creation of an identity helps to define a person to others, but it also works to define an individual to himself or herself. Everyone has likely heard people say that they need to "find themselves," and that is part of the development and exploration of identity. The identity of a person can…… [Read More]

Cultural Representation of Social Class Social Class

Cultural Representation of Social Class

Social class is a reflection of more than the material conditions of the lives that people live. Objective resources such as income are responsible for shaping up some cultural practices as well as behaviors which signal social class. These signals end up creating cultural identities among the people in the upper and those in the lower classes. This makes people get rooted perceptions that are subjective in terms of social classes. The paper will look at how culture which is related to social class impacts identity and pride within individuals within specific social classes.

Social classes have a great influence on people thoughts, feelings and their actions. Social class is a form of cultural identity which is constituted in various processes. First of all the social class that someone belongs to is determined by symbols such as wealth, preferences and social behaviors such as the…… [Read More]

Cultural Forms of Expression African-American

(Cha-Jua, 2001, at (http://www.wpunj.edu/newpol/issue31/chajua31.htm)

Another aspect of representation, however, concerns collective memory and the representation of a shared past. Through the context for dialogue they create, social movements facilitate the interweaving of individual stories and biographies into a collective, unified frame, a collective narrative. Part and parcel of the process of collective identity or will formation is the linking of diverse experiences into a unity, past as well as present. Social movements are central to this process, not only at the individual level, but also at the organizational or meso level of social interaction. Institutions like the black church and cultural artifacts like blues music may have embodied and passed on collective memories from generation to generation, but it was through social movements that even these diverse collective memories attained a more unified focus, linking individuals and collectives into a unified subject, with a common future as well as a…… [Read More]

Identity Losing and Finding a

The book is not attempting to explain the details of a biographical life in the way it is traditionally perceived in either the East or the West, but rather is an emotive rather than an intellectual rendering of identity fragmented by a meeting of multiple cultures. This paces it firmly in the postcolonial tradition, where identity is almost entirely based on a negotiation of traditional ethnic identities with Westernized stereotypes and perceptions of these identities.

At the same time, the construction of the text itself -- its multiple voices and times without any solid reference points, the fragmented sentences, and perhaps most of all the inconsistent yet regular use of the second person which demands a knowledge or understanding of the reader that the reader simply doesn't possess -- all mark the book as a work shaped largely by postmodern tendencies and attitudes (Spahr). In this context, the very concept…… [Read More]

Identity in America Child of

The poet explains that it is very difficult for a multicultural individual to find his or her place in the world, as they are constantly attracted by cultural values present in a variety of civilizations. All of these cultures are present in her mind and she accepts them by becoming a part of a unique community encompassing a wide variety of ideas. Because she does not feel comfortable looking in the past for a cultural identity, she wants to live in the present. This makes it possible for her to identify with a single culture that recognizes her character and that promotes the belief that it is perfectly normal for an individual to live in accordance with customs present in a series of cultures.

Morales considers that culture is more important than race when it comes to the factors that influence a particular individual. A multicultural individual behaves different from…… [Read More]

Cultural Values and Personal Ethics

This whole process is grounded in a commitment to social justice...." (Morales, 2003)

Fortunately, the organization I work for has an open systems approach, which allows its employees to evaluate (1) ways of being (the psychological business process); (2) ways of knowing (the spiritual business process); and (3) ways of behaving (the theoretical and technical business processes). This open system philosophy frees the decision making process from cultural and personal influences, and instead encourages evaluation of issues on their independent merits (Williams, 1996, p. 100-101).

Thus, the organization that I work for has a culture, which has been more successful than most in avoiding the pitfalls of deeply embedded social or cultural identities, which often prove to be obstacles in the way of successful conflict management especially with our overseas units. This is contrary to the findings of several research studies, which have found that social identification and cultural values…… [Read More]

Cultural Citizenship Refers to the

This results in the creation of a sense of insecurity in people, which drives them to the comfort, and security of their cultural identities. Renato Rosaldo in his introductory essay to Latino Cultural Citizenship (Flores and Benmayor, 1997: 37) warns that "too often social thought anchors its research in the vantage point of the dominant social group and thus reproduces the dominant ideology by studying subordinated groups as a 'problem' rather than as people with agency -- with goals, perceptions, and purposes of their own."

Cultural citizenship thus allows Latinos to claim their rights as members of one ethnic group while it also lends supports to their beliefs, ideas and traditions. United States may appear to be nationalistic whole to the outside world, but within the country, there are several divisions and multiculturalism is a hot topic. Everyone knows and understands that dominant groups tend to receive nepotistic treatment from…… [Read More]

Cultural Perceptions of Time in Africa Time

Cultural Perceptions of Time in Africa

Time is a foundational factor in every culture. The perception of time is different for most cultures and the determining factor to those differences is often based on the means of production. "Most cultures have some concept of time, although the way they deal with time may differ fundamentally." (Kokole 1994, 35) Tracing the perception of the concept of time in Africa can be seen as tracing the European racial prejudices of the intellect of the indigenous populations in the colonized regions of Africa. Much of the information regarding the development of time concepts in African culture is colonial and based on the European interlopers recorded ideas.

Some of those recorded ideas are those of missionaries and others are those of capitalist adventurers, with the intermittent mark of a very few true historians.

In Mali, as in many other parts of Africa, there are…… [Read More]

Cultural Intonation Cultural Differences in

2009). Other studies had previously concluded that English infants developed a preference for trochaic words, the dominant stress construct of English words, over iambic stress patterns within the first year of life (Hohle et al. 2009). A comparison of German and Frecnh infants in four distinct experiments confirms and even narrows down the timeframe in which this differentiation of preference occurs, and also shows (through the French language experiments) that the ability to distinguish the two opposing stress patterns does not necessarily result in the development of preference, if the target language itself lacks a dominant stress structure (Hohle et al. 2009). Even at six months, a specific language begins to mediate perception.

An earlier study suggests that the timing of stress and intonation preference development is even sooner than six months. While citing evidence suggesting that language-independent phonetic contrasts and melodic variations are recognized within the first four months…… [Read More]

Cultural Differences New Mexican History

Before Anglos came to dominate the land, Cabeza de Baca portrays a kind of paradise-like environment, where even the sheepherders were like "musicians and poets" and "the troubadours of old," and every person had a story (Cabeza de Baca 11). This has been called a method of "preserving the culture" against the dominant discourse of Anglos: Cabeza de Baca, along with other writers of her generation are portrayed as trying to "get it [their culture] right" in an effort to transcend the overwhelming discourse of the Anglo "other" (Cabeza de Baca xx). Using Hispanic phrases and names, blurring historiography and biography, and the view of the past as a kind of lost "Eden" are all aspects of the authors 'agenda' (Cabeza de Baca xx). Cabeza de Baca deliberately uses English as a way of communicating with the Anglo reader and 'setting the record straight.'

Yet while Cabeza de Baca strives…… [Read More]

Cultural Priorities

Cultural Priorities Affect Marketing

Cultural Priorities - Marketing

Author's note with contact information with more details on collegiate affiliation, etc.

How Cultural Priorities Affect Marketing

A key to any marketing strategy for any product or service is to know the target demographic very well. What is the use of marketing a product or service to a group of people about which one knows nothing? There is none; it is a waste of time, effort, and resources. Understanding a demographic requires more than incorporating knowledge gathered from statistics; understanding a demographic requires that those marketing to that group have a solid understanding of that group's culture. Culture is a key factor in understanding attitudes, behaviors, tastes, and modes of expression. Applied knowledge of cultures and cultural priorities should only benefit those marketing to that group. The more a marketing team considers the cultural priorities of the group to which it markets,…… [Read More]

Cultural Advances Made Islamic World Tenth Fifteenth

cultural advances made Islamic world tenth fifteenth centuries? Reference Book: A History World Societies, Eighth Edition, Vol1 by: McKay, Hill, Buckler, Ebrey, Beck, Crowston, & Wiesner-Hanks

The apogee of the Islamic world when considering cultural and scientific innovations took place between the tenth and fifteenth centuries A.D. Islamic art flourished during this period, as Muslims started to experience significant progress in creating artwork using ceramics, glass, and metals. Similarly, the intellectual segment experienced great developments as individuals started to write more and more manuscripts and as calligraphy progressed. In spite of the fact that philosophy was a field that Muslims were generally reluctant to address because it was believed to be accountable for inducing unorthodox thinking in individuals, many Muslims did not hesitate to express philosophical thought and were actually very successful in doing so.

A great deal of Muslims focused on philosophical thought expressed during Antiquity and adapted it…… [Read More]

Cultural Capital Colonialism Oppression Race and Others

Discursive construction refers to the ways identities related to gender, ethnicity, nationality, race, or any other parameter, are constructed through discourse. Discourse implies relationship and communication, and it can also relate to power differentials. For example, Narayan (1995) refers to the "self serving collaboration between elements of colonial rights discourse and care discourse," especially related to the "white man's burden" type scenarios (p. 133). The colonizer had once framed colonization as doing the Other a favor, by "promoting the welfare of the colonized" out of a belief in presumed superiority. Thus, the discourse creates a superior/inferior binary.

Narayan, U. (1995). Colonialism and its Others. Hypatia 10(2).

2.

Subjectivity is embedded in postcolonial discourse and identity formation. In Black Skin White Masks, the author shows how black identities are constructed subjectively as opposed to actively because the colonizer projects values and ethics onto the Other. The poetry of Derek Walcott also…… [Read More]

Value of Cultural Diversity

Cultural Diversity in the United States

The United States is one of the most multi-culturally diverse nations in the world. It has often been described as a melting point in which diverse cultures converge. The country is filled with people drawn from different cultures such as Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and Europeans. This study focuses on the concept and importance of cultural diversity in the U.S. I believe that cultural diversity is desirable in the United States because it fosters harmonious interaction of people: it should be encouraged because it makes American Citizen's appreciate and respect each other's culture.

Culture refers to an integrated system of learned conduct or behavior patterns that are distinct with members of a given society. As such, culture refers to a people's way of thinking or living. It incorporates people's traditions, religions, mode of dressing, language, values, and beliefs. Language allows people to establish a sense…… [Read More]

Cultural Diversity Interviewed a Co-Worker

Unlike the culture of my interviewee, African-American isn't really broken into subgroups. I was born and raised in Buffalo, New York, which is very close to the Canadian Border and the "U.S. Peace Bridge." I grew up speaking English, and it is the only language I speak.

My religion is not typical of most African-Americans, who tend to be Baptist, Methodist, or Lutheran. I was raised as a Catholic and still practice that religion today. I'm not the only African-American I know who is Catholic, but it's not common in my subculture.

Like my interviewee, I think the media is generally doing a good job of representing African-Americans in the media. However, I still see instances when African-Americans seem to be portrayed as being ruthless and slovenly, which in my opinion makes all African-Americans appear to be the same way (association assimilation).

I believe that all cultures have something that…… [Read More]

Cultural Blending That Occurred When the British Colonized India

Cultural Blending That Occurred When the British Colonized India

Throughout the course of history, the British were known as the world's conquerors. This is because they established a series of colonies around the globe that supported the nation and its self-interest. During their occupation of India, there was focus on blending different cultures to create a unique society. (Bingham)

This transformed India from being a backward region to one that was able to improve its standard of living and make steps towards joining the modern world. The result is that a new social identify was developed. To fully understand the way that this occurred requires examining cultural blending, how it shaped their identity, if it was permanent, what caused it to change and if it was beneficial. These different factors will illustrate the way this occurred and the impact it had on India's development. (Bingham)

Description

The British first arrived…… [Read More]

Cultural Hybridity Identity and South

Gogol seeks to escape his name and his past by re-naming himself, but when he does he gives himself another Russian rather than an Indian name -- Nikhil (and his sister is named Sonya) and the more he rejects his Indian heritage, the more it haunts him.

Like the Namesake, Amitav Ghosh's novel, the Hungry Tide is mainly populated by members of the Bengali community. However, Ghosh's novel is set back in India. The most obvious cross-cultural figure within the novel is that of Kanai Dutt, a professional translator who goes to visit his aunt on her small island in the Bay of Bengal to receive a package left to him by his late uncle. The last time Kanai spent any time on the island was when he was sent there as punishment for his arrogance as a young boy, and he remains just as self-satisfied as when he left.…… [Read More]

Cultural Intelligence in Today's Increasingly Culturally Diverse

Cultural Intelligence

In today's increasingly culturally diverse world, cultural competence, or what has become known as "cultural intelligence (CQ)" has received increasing research attention. Several authors, with various purposes and audiences, have developed assessment instruments to help individuals and groups understand their level of cultural intelligence. Included among these is the instrument developed by Earley and Mosakowski (2004), under the title "Diagnosing Your Cultural Intelligence."

Earley and Mosakowski's instrument addresses three areas of CQ: The cognitive, the physical, and the emotional/motivational. The cognitive component can be regarded as the "head" of cultural competence. On a cognitive level, this areas focuses on an individual's understanding of differences between cultures. This involves asking questions and investigations to identify any differences that might exist among cultures. Being aware of these on a cognitive level can greatly enhance a person's ability to understand and interact with foreign cultures.

The physical component focuses on a…… [Read More]

Cultural Counselor Being a Counselor Can Sometimes

Cultural Counselor

Being a counselor can sometimes be a really tough job. Counseling can only be effective and beneficial when the counselor places himself or herself in the shoes of his or her client. If he or she is unable to do so, he or she will never become an effective counselor. Placing oneself in the circumstances of someone else is not easy, let alone placing oneself in the shoes of a person who is of a different race, religion or culture. That is the real test of a counselor. In this paper I shall discuss what is required to understand the cross-cultural relationships in counseling to help the client get over their problem easily. All the dimensions pertaining to counseling (of a client of a different background that the counselor) will discussed with the case scenario.

Case Scenario

When clients and counselors have different cultural (or ethnic or racial)…… [Read More]

Cultural Tourism Culture Tourism Research

The Balinese seem to be coping with the tourist invasion as well as they have coped with others, that is they are taking what they want, but they are not allowing themselves to be any the less Balinese. This appears to have been the story throughout Bali's history, outside cultures came, perhaps as conquerors, perhaps only as visitors and traders, but Balinese society and culture have remained distinctive, accepting outward forms, but molding them to its own different purposes." (Pickard, 1996)

These insights are showing how the changes in tourism are having an effect on Bali by developing the industry. However, for most local residents, they are maintaining their basic cultural traditions. This is despite the fact that there are added pressures to continually adopt these practices (in spite of the transformations). (Pickard, 1996)

However, many local officials feel that an influx of tourism is having an adverse impact on…… [Read More]

Identity and Belonging the Amish

We all have a need to be loved and to feel we belong somewhere. I think that this need is basic in all humans. I was unconsciously trying to force John to live in my world and I know realize I shouldn't have done that. I was being selfish and I am thankful that he was mature enough to have the commons sense for both of us to know a relationship between us could never work. I now know that just because someone stirs up a desire in me that it doesn't necessarily mean that I am supposed to be with that person. Change is good, but only for the right reasons. Sometimes it is best to stick with what you know. I am comfortable being an Amish. Yes, there are things about this lifestyle that I would like to change but overall, I am happy and my son is…… [Read More]

Cultural Adaptation Following Hurricane Sandy Cultural Psychology

Cultural Adaptation Following Hurricane Sandy

Cultural Psychology and Adaption During Hurricane Sandy

The objective of this study is to examine Hurricane Sandy and the adaptation of the population through the lens of the psychological cultural adaptation model.

Cultural adaptation holds that evolutionary forces shape "innate genetically determined behaviors." (Boyd and Richerson, 2002) Stated specifically is the following:

"Culture profoundly alters human evolution, but not because culture is learned. Rather, culture entails a novel evolutionary tradeoff. Social learning allows human populations to accumulate reservoirs of adaptive information over many generations, leading to the cumulative cultural evolution of highly adaptive social institutions and technology. Because this process is much faster than genetic evolution, it allows human populations to evolve cultural adaptations to local environments, an ability that was a masterful adaptation to the chaotic, rapidly changing world of the Pleistocene." (Boyd and Richerson, 2002)

Stated is that the idea of cultural adaptation…… [Read More]

Cultural Diversity Interview Narrative Cultural

While in high school, she worked as a waitress at a local diner. Most of the population was black, therefore there was little contact with white customers or employees. Margaret feels that she was socially isolated until the 1950s. She was not exposed to white culture; it was foreign to her. She was only exposed to black culture of the time. They were not allowed in certain stores, restaurants, or other places of business. She remembers "white only" restrooms and "black only" fountains. This cultural isolation was oppressive.

Margaret feels that the oppressive attitudes and discrimination that she experienced as a child determined much of how her life proceeded in adulthood. The idea that she could only go so far was ingrained as a child. She never really broke free of this feeling. In her 40s, she moved to upstate New York. Here, she found that many women had succeeded…… [Read More]

Cultural Conflict of Two Stories

But Rushdie's relationship with English as a writer, even as a critic of the former British Empire, is far more complex. In Salman Rushdie's text "English is an Indian literary language," Rushdie states that the output of literature in English by Indian writers is more interesting and vital than those produced in India's native languages. Through creativity and dialogue with the oppressor, a great literature has been generated. India's original languages were vast in number but parochial. Ironically, English has proved to be a unifying force for Indians, even if one of the unifying ideologies for Indian writers in English is their attempt to create a new, national literature that is distinct from the British.

This phenomenon is not new, of course. Great Irish writers also used the English language that was imposed upon them to create great works of literature. Even if the ideology that resulted in the imposition…… [Read More]

Identity Conflict Based on Social

In other words, the question that needs to be answered is, how did psycho-social identity differences create such deep rifts in a society that was in fact closely related by intermarriage and years of living closely together. This leads to the conclusion that there are other social and political factors that need to be taken into account in order to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the events, as well as how they impacted on the meaning of identity. .

Social Dominance and other theories

As noted above, the discussion and analysis of the causative features of this conflict and the concomitant effect of this analysis on possible resolution scenarios is largely dependent of the ability of the particular theoretical model to take into account the many variables of this conflict. In order to achieve a more holistic view of the conflict one has to take into account the fact…… [Read More]

Cultural Differences of Adolescent in the United States

Cultural Differences of Adolescent in the United States

The United States, ever since the time when its history began, has been an accumulation of different cultural patterns who took refuge here for independence in expressing the thoughts. Resiliency or adaptability is featured as a phenomenon of fruit yielding adaptability in spite of difficult or intimidating surrounding. In this paper we shall analyze the cultural differences among adolescents in the country. In 1996 Gordon discovered that adaptable young men have concrete self-confidence in their realizing capabilities and concrete sentiments of association in the school surrounding as against their non-adaptable associates. Consistently Arellano and Padilla in 1996 discovered that cooperative families and tutors saved students from vulnerable educational surroundings. Again Liebowitz, Catellani, and Cuellar in 1999 discovered the relatively important foreseer of sexual attitude to be the persistence of morals existing betwixt the young men and their family. Outcomes threw light on…… [Read More]

Cultural Understanding the Cultural Diversity

It is though cultural understanding that strangers become familiar and open to us. Law enforcement benefits from cultural understanding and steps that are taken to bridge the chasm between police and the communities they serve will ultimately benefit all parties.

Community policing is one method used to span the gap, the concept has generated widespread debate as to its effectiveness. In spite of the debate there are identifiable benefits to community policing. The first benefit of community policing is an increase in public safety (Thacher, 2001, p.765). Community policing brings together divergent elements in such a manner that it fosters the production of a safer environment. The increased safety is not only because police are physically present but also because law enforcement priorities are more in sync with the concerns of the communities they are asked to serve (Meares, 2002, p. 1595).

Another benefit of community policing is a change…… [Read More]

Cultural Competence the World in

There are also some generalizations that do not include all, but some, Puerto Rican culture: conversations are usually very interactive and full of interruptions. Interruptions mean interest in the subject discussed; silence denotes disinterest rather than paying close attention. If someone is talking to someone else and a third person joins in, the people talking are expected to stop what they are saying and acknowledge the newcomer. Also, it is rude for a man to dance too close to a woman who is not his wife or girlfriend, even if others seem to be doing it. It is considered vulgar and ostentatious to open gifts in public. Gifts are never opened in front of a group of people to avoid people comparing the merits of different gifts.

One of the main areas of differences between cultures is in nonverbal communication. If people are not aware of these differences, there can…… [Read More]

Identity the Symbolic Interactionist Goffman 1959 Views

Identity

The symbolic interactionist Goffman (1959) views identity in much the same way as behavioral psychologists viewed personality: personal identity is dependent on: (1) the audience (environment), and (2) the basic motives of the "performer." Goffman uses a metaphor for how one presents himself in everyday life as a sort of an actor who can be "sincere" in that they believe in the impressions their performances elicit, or "cynical" in that they're not concerned with these impressions. So Goffman uses terms like the "setting," the "front," the "manner," etc. To describe how one's identity is more or less molded by one's surroundings and one's intent (to a lesser extent as this itself is molded by the surroundings). Thus, intentions can sometimes result in a difference between presentation and setting, self-presentations may not always appear fixed, and we learn to be actors at a young age.

For Marcuse (1964) autonomy of…… [Read More]

Cultural Awareness Cesar Is a Patient Who

Cultural Awareness

Cesar

Cesar is a patient who presents with psychotic symptoms associated with acute trauma. A Mexican citizen, he has a criminal history in Mexico, but after being released from prison six years earlier he immigrated illegally to the United States. He has resided and worked illegally, and was recently arrested by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) for a traffic violation. Upon interviewing him the CPH detained him and requested that the local gang intervention task force interview him because he has tattoos related to the well-known street gang the Latin Kings. Cesar was not charged with any crime, and his detention report notes that he was held at a routine traffic stop because the officers felt he "appeared suspicious." After a careful revision of his car and personal items they found no legal violations other than that his identification was not legal for the United States. Cesar was…… [Read More]

Cultural Differences in Army Officers Every Society

Cultural Differences in Army Officers

Every society is different from the other and arranges itself under some certain value and belief system. This belief system is the basic identity of any society or a group of people and is very central in developing them as human beings. More importantly, it plays a significant role in developing the way these members of a society behave and how they interact with each other. One of these aspects which play a central role in the development of human behavior is Culture.

Culture is the fundamental characteristic that defines the way we behave and the way we interact with each other. The lack of knowledge regarding the other person culture can result in the serious lack of judgment regarding the true meaning of someone's gesture and this misinterpretation can go a long way in harming any society or a relationship between two people. Therefore…… [Read More]

Cultural Barriers Cultural and Language

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Here, we can see an innovative way of overcoming the inherent language barrier, or at least rendering it secondary to fan intrigue.

China is another market context where challenges are specific and dominant due both to the dramatic distinction between the Chinese language and Romantic or Latin-based tongues and due to China's isolated and distinctly defined cultural nature. In both of these, we consider that there is a real and difficult obstruction for organizations seeking to establish a meaningful identity.

In consideration of the example of Foster's beer, for one, we are given a narrative detailing a long and difficult process by which the Australian beer distributor was eventually able to penetrate the market. For Foster's, one of the biggest problems was its prior strategic dependence on its name and Australian identity, which are easily and charmingly conveyed in advertisement in America. In a non-English speaking market,…… [Read More]

Cultural Analysis Activity 1 - Discuss the

Cultural Analysis

Activity 1 - Discuss the two societal cultures that you will use to develop your GLOBE Paper. Why these two? I will discuss the Germanic and Latin European Cultures. Each of these divergent cultural paradigms has had a strong effect upon globalism in the 21st century based on hundreds of years of influence in Europe and the New World as far back as the 1600s, and perhaps before. Both cultures are rich in literature and historical development, and both language groups have had a seminal influence on culture. My husband is in the Army and we now live in Europe, I need to make myself aware of these cultural attributes so that I can be aware of the leadership styles and cultures.

Activity 2 -- The Germanic culture really arose out of the merge between the Ancient Romans and the Germanic peoples during the 3-5th centuries AD. This…… [Read More]

Cultural in the United States

Cultural in the United States

Compare and contrast what Morris Berman, Frank Capra, and David Fincher present as the flaws in our culture's pursuit of material self-interest.

Morris Berman, Frank Capra, and David Fincher present the society in postmodern consumer where the masculine identity is lost: the gray-collar male personnel and the satisfaction socially created by the society focused in materialism. Technology is the baseline for Berman's argument. The argument goes well-known to Neil Postman, and McLuhan Marshal it is not normal, not only does it change the way we connect with the rest of the world, but it also gets our brains wired (Berman 21). A normal brain of a person who has been print raised differs with a big margin from that of a person who, most of his time is corrupted by the internet.

However, the significance of the internet is making a reduction to our understanding…… [Read More]

Cultural Modernism and the Snopes

This feeling of anger and resentment is effectively illustrated through the conflict between Abner and the Negro, De Spain's helper.

In this conflict, Abner is seen resisting the Negro's attempt to stop him from trespassing De Spain's home. Evidently, the Negro's status in life is much better than Abner, who has to toil very hard in order for him and his family to survive everyday. This fact infuriates Abner, and his resentment against the Negro's condition in life is reflected in his hateful statement about his poverty and De Spain's seemingly unfair status as a wealthy man: "Pretty and white, ain't it?...That's sweat. Nigger sweat. Maybe it ain't white enough yet to suit him. Maybe he wants to mix some white sweat in it" (175). This statement is Abner's own way of protesting against his condition in life, a bitterness that reflects not only class conflict between the wealthy and…… [Read More]

Cultural Impact on Politics Political

4). This idea has since been abandoned. The mythology of the Amazons, a matriarchy of warrior women, has been discounted as no more than a myth, one deriving from the deep-seated fear on the part of males that they might lose their power and authority. In matrilineal societies, men tend still to monopolize the rights of power. Some Chinese anthropologists believe the stories of true matriarchal societies in some regions of China in the past, but this is uncertain. A matriarchy would be presumed to be less warlike and more nurturing as a social order and would not subordinate men in the way men have done to women in the patriarchal society.

The formulation and operation of power in the largely patriarchal social order in the world today divides along other line than gender, with political action influenced most by ideology, religion, divisions of power, and other aspects of group…… [Read More]

Cultural Values Are Particularly Important When Considering

Cultural values are particularly important when considering communities such as the Mexicans, the Americans, or the Chinese. Even with this, while Mexicans and Chinese individuals tend to be more attached to their cultures, Americans are more relaxed and open-minded when it comes to culture, this largely being owed to the diverse ethnic environment in the U.S. The Chinese and the Mexicans are very strict with regard to their cultures and they tend to influence individuals belonging to each community to act in accordance with a certain set of ideas.

Foods are very diverse, both in Mexico and in the U.S. Even with this, the fact that Native American history has shaped both cultures means that there are numerous common cooking ingredients in both communities. While both countries focus on corn as an item that can be used alongside of a series of other foods, one can really see a similarity…… [Read More]

Cultural Review Film and Culture the Grimm

Cultural Review

Film and Culture

The Grimm brothers began collecting folktales around 1807 and began a legacy that has been ingrained in popular culture. Although the tales that they collected were representative of the culture at the time, the brothers worked to canonize some of the archetypes that were present in their day. Instead of seeing them as just random works of literature, the brothers were able to identify various themes which served as the main focuses on their fairy and folk tale. These themes seemed to be generally available in the stories that the two individuals documented just as they are also present today. These archetypical characters which formed can make one wonder whether it is the culture that shapes the story or whether it is the stories that shape the culture.

Very few Grimm's Fairy Tales deviate from the stereotypes of the hero, villain, and damsel in distress…… [Read More]

Cultural Differences and Negotiation Chosen Country Japan

Cultural Differences and Negotiation

Chosen Country: Japan

Japanese culture is full of many traditional values. For instance, family is tremendously important to the Japanese and traditional gender roles are commonly upheld (Saito et al., 2004). For example, the father is generally the breadwinner and the mother is often a full-time homemaker who takes care of the children (Heapy, 2012). Japanese society is extremely structured and orbits around a conception of hierarchy and people's roles; it's not uncommon for people to be addressed in terms of the position they hold (Heapy, 2012). The culture values things like duty, loyalty, and obligation; in fact the Japanese view the biggest obligation as the one that one carries towards one's parents (Heapy, 2012).

Even those who are unfamiliar with Japanese culture are aware of the fact that the Japanese bow instead of shaking hands. Bowing in Japanese culture is a sign of respect; showing…… [Read More]

Identity Summary of Social Theory

The complexity of the issue is underscored by the attempts to not discuss the issue on the larger political stage. This is supported by the presentation of race issues as being historical in nature. The inherent suggestion is that at present these issues no longer exist. As long as identity construction is anchored in the political and cultural dynamic then historical antecedents will remain relevant to the discussion and debate.

Marcuse

While the concept of freedom is intimately linked to the understanding of being one's self, technological developments have whittled away at this inherent notion of personal freedom. The development of new and more subtle forms of control has in a covert manner removed the sense of personhood and replaced it with the construction of the whole. Traditional understanding of freedom in terms of political, economic and intellectual have limited applicability in the modern arrangement. The individual is constantly being…… [Read More]

Cultural Studies Introduction Metro-Sexual Can

The famous Calvin Klein ad featuring Marky Mark took everyone by storm as it showed that men could be sexual and have feminine qualities to them. A current day example of metrosexual icons is David Beckham. Beckham has both commercial and psychological appeal. He has earned millions of dollars for sponsoring fashion accessories. His style has influenced millions of males around the world and encouraged them to aspire to the same level of corporate sponsored exhibitionism. According to Turner, people are bombarded with stereotypical images of attractive people in the media every day. This factor exposes them to body types which make sensitive beings more conscious about their bodies and compare themselves to unrealistic media images of thinness and muscularity. (Turner et al., 1997). (Lorenzen, Grieve, and Thomas).

The movement for Metrosexuality began in the late nineties when a trend emerged to portray men as sexual commodified bodies. This new…… [Read More]

Identity Development Among Ethnic Minority

Especially in major centers, the majority of at-risk adolescents are Latino and African-American youth (Yanvey, 1992). Yancey (1992) examined identity development among ethnic minority adolescents in the foster care system. This researcher explained how the occurrence of societal problems, such as unintentional pregnancy, childbearing, substance abuse, underachievement, discontinuation of education at an early point, homelessness, and dependency on social service and mental health resources was disproportionately pronounced among ethnic minorities. In regards to ethnic minority youth in the foster care system, Yancey (1992; p.819) "postulated that their social maladaptation is reflective of identity disturbances created by the negative images of African-Americans and Latinos perpetuated by the dominant society and unfiltered by optimal parental racial socialization." This statement expresses the profound influence that society's attitudes can have on the identity development of ethnic adolescents, and indicates a direction in which interventions could improve the racial socialization practices among parents.

The effect…… [Read More]

Identity Formation as Multidimensional Concept

The practices significantly support the development of the immigrant children. The research indicates of the children experiencing interactions that are complex. This is with the respective peers when engaging in creative activities inclusive of gross motor and language arts (Donald et al., 2007). The creative activities reflect on open-ended aspects with the resultant stratification in shaping the initial academic progress of the immigrant children possibility. The application of the developmentally suitable practices in the primary setting of the immigrant children society positively influences the outcomes of the children (Donald et al., 2007).

The challenge faced in defining the developmentally fit strategies emphasizes on the child-centered approaches. The approaches relate to the developmental theory with the society directed instructions originating from the behaviorist perspective of the immigrant children. As a result of the theoretical course from which the child-centered practices derives, they reflects on the synonymous view with the appropriate practices.…… [Read More]

Cultural Studies Comparative and Historical Analysis Are

Cultural Studies

Comparative and historical analysis are concepts that describe analyzing events in their historical context, by comparing them with other events that have occurred in the past. Events that occur today do not occur in a vacuum, but rather they always have context. The first chapter mentions the confusion in Britain when it was revealed that a suicide bomb attack on that country was carried out by Anglo-Jamaicans. The context made little sense, as this social group was not known for anything close to terrorism. The attackers, however, had converted to radical Islam, unusual perhaps for that group, but nevertheless this conversion shifted the context of those attacks entirely. Historically, and comparatively, the attacks made a lot more sense as radical Muslims use the suicide bomb style of attack and tend to be more prone towards terrorist attacks in general.

Envy, desire and belonging are powerful emotions, and these…… [Read More]

Cultural Psychology Holfstede's Cultural Dimensions

Based on the competitive nature of the business environment, strict formalities had to be kept up in order not to go beyond the boundaries of good business ethics and practices.

The final dimension was created after the first initial four and later adopted by Holfstede into his dimensional structure of cultural organizations. This dimension is associated with the group being more associated with long or short-term orientation. Companies with more long-term associations have employees and group members who have been a part of the particular organization for an extended period of time. Typically, these types of organizations present a collected look to the future on behalf of all of the members. This is based on the idea that the members expect to still be a part of the group in any particular point in the future. Therefore, long-term strategies can become fruitful, with several group members working hard for a…… [Read More]

Cultural Influence in Education Culture

A woman can be neither a political leader nor a judge; she must only appear in public modestly dressed, and her natural and sacred task is to keep the household smoothly functioning and to raise and instruct her children to be good Muslims. Men, for their part, must shoulder the burden of providing for the family in material ways. Liberation for a woman does not mean being like a male, or taking up male tasks, but rather being herself and fulfilling the destiny Allah created for her. (Waines, 1995, P. 255)

Feminine education is therefore one of the most extreme of all issues with regard to the influence of the Islamic culture on education, and as has been stated earlier there is significant diversity in the educational role inclusion of women. (Weil, 2004, p. 142) for many one of the biggest reasons for immigration is the offer of greater educational…… [Read More]

Cultural Communication Describe the Different

com, 2003). Fitting into the system of France is very important, and creating a good French citizen is one of the goals of the educational system. Students in France, for example, cannot wear religious clothing or other affiliations with national, non-French institutions of identity.

As in France and Japan, in the United Kingdom, education is free and compulsory until age sixteen, as an educated workforce is highly valued. There is also a great deal of respect and deference given to the role of the teacher. "Teachers in primary schools (4- to 11-year-olds) are always addressed by their surname by parents and pupils alike, always Mr., Mrs. Or Miss Smith

In secondary schools (11-16 years), teachers are always addressed as Miss or Sir" ("Introduction to School Life," Woodlands Junior School, 2007). Students in the United Kingdom must wear a uniform, which enforces a certain sense of national and school cohesion, although…… [Read More]

Identity Is This Explanation Sufficient

Aspects of identity that might have been denied or denigrated because of colonial mentalities can resurface and be admired. Discourse on gender and social class has also deepened and enabled identity constructions to flourish outside the confines of proscribed gender roles. Culture changes, and so too does identity. The values placed on identity aspects like religion have shifted too, making religion a less salient part of people's identity. On the other hand, sexual orientation and gender identity have both become more important. Gender roles have changed to such a great degree as to transform the definition and meaning of family, love, or sex.

Therefore, a number of issues affect the way we understand and create identities. Academia reflects broader changes in social values and norms. In some cases, academia inspires those social and political transformations. Regardless of the directions of the relationship between academia and social values, the two interact…… [Read More]

Cultural Competence in a World

"Culturally different clients are clients who racial, ethnic, gender, socioeconomic, and/or religious backgrounds and/or identities are different from the healthcare professional or student…[healthcare students must learn cultural competence] so that quality outcomes indicators such as enhanced client satisfaction and positive health outcomes may be achieved." (Jeffreys, p. 24)

Nursing is definitely not the only profession demanding cultural competence; it has also become an important part of skills required of a good business manager. In fact every person who is working in a multicultural environment must know the value of cultural competence because it helps in facilitating communication and improves effectiveness. For example in an educational setting, a teacher who doesn't understand the culture of his students may find it difficult to connect with them and hence his effectiveness might decline. With a cultural competent teacher, students "feel accepted, engaged and safe…they become interested in class community and more responsive to…… [Read More]

Cultural Jamming

Some jammers still retain low-tech methods to spread their message utilizing nothing more than a magic marker.

The most important thing about cultural jamming is that it is a response demanded by the people. People are tired of being told what to wear, how to look, what to buy and they don't want to be classified into categories by corporations. Corporations have more influence on an individual's day-to-day than other major institution. They are the new creators of norms and values. Corporations tell what is beauty, what is fashionable or "cool," everything is being dictated to the people. The public on the other hand are lagging behind economically while big banks and corporations gain record breaking profits year after year. Jamming is the people's emotional response to corporate domination. It is an effort to be heard in a society that is increasingly finding it difficult to focus.

Jamming is not…… [Read More]

Cultural Competence in Nursing Emerging

" (a Manager's Guide to Cultural Competence Education for Health Care Professionals, nd) Cultural competence is a development process as no individual "becomes culturally competent overnight or with one or two hours of training." (a Manager's Guide to Cultural Competence Education for Health Care Professionals, nd) Cultural competence training is stated to involve "attitude changes and the examining of personal biases and stereotypes as an initial step to acquiring the skills and competencies necessary for quality cross-cultural care." (a Manager's Guide to Cultural Competence Education for Health Care Professionals, nd)

The Kaiser Family Foundation (2003) states in the work entitled: "Compendium of Cultural Competence Initiatives in Health Care" that cultural competency faces challenges which include: (1) the lack of agreement on the terms, definitions and core approaches; (2) limited research on impact and effectiveness; (3) a misperception that the activities are focused exclusively on people of color, rather than also…… [Read More]

Culture Literary Imagination and Cultural

This earns him the grudging respect of his peers, who were unpleasantly impressed by what Mrs. Fretag, his teacher, referred to not as deceitful, but "very creative." The narrator discovers one of the novel's main truths: "So, that's what they wanted: lies. Beautiful lies. That's what they needed. People were fools. It was going to be easy for me." This conclusion is in reaction to the discovery of his deceit. Mrs. Fretag, the teacher, had indeed attended the event, and confronted Henry about his deceit. Upon telling the truth about his absence, the narrator is nonetheless praised as "remarkable." He is not punished, but rewarded for lies that sound beautiful, but are no less deceitful for that. In this, the author makes a comment about the society in which the narrator operates, and how to gain power in that society. His creative work earns him the respect of and power…… [Read More]

Regional Identity

Regional Identity

Over the years, regional identity has played a major part in helping specific regions to embrace their culture and traditions. In many cases, these views are often expressed in different forms of literature and songs. However, as globalization has become more dominant, these beliefs have come into conflict with other regional influences. This is because many of these traditions are being replaced by new ideas that are attempting to impose their values and ideas upon everyone inside a specific area. To fully understand what is taking place, there will be a focus on the songs Allentown and Where I Come From in conjunction with insights from Fetterley. This will be accomplished by determining if these songs are resisting the mainstream, examining if they cite local identity in order to advance cultural imperialism (according to Fetterley) and the differences between them. Together, these elements will provide insights that will…… [Read More]

Cross-Cultural Communication With Increased Competition Being Witnessed

Cross-Cultural Communication

With increased competition being witnessed in many industries, Multinational companies are setting shop to new foreign markets as a way of increasing their profitability and remaining competitive. Many countries have liberalized their markets, and present advancement in technologies has made it easy for companies to open new branches in foreign markets. However, this also comes with it challenges, particularly relating to cross-cultural communication. Effective cross-cultural communication is very important to the organization that some scholars such as Levitt (1983) argue that it can determine the success or failure of a foreign business in the local market. It is against such statements that this paper examines the factors that impact cross-cultural communication at the workplace.

The paper will particularly aim at answering the following four questions; what is communication? What does it look like? What is the purpose of communication within organizations? And, what factors can negatively impact effective…… [Read More]

Is a Private Identity a Curse or a Blessing

Racial Identity: Blessing or Curse?

Today, in the United States, cultural and ethnic and racial sensitivity are all approached from the perspective of inclusiveness and equality. In that sort of social climate, the notion of racial identity has more positive connotations than negative ones, as everyone is encouraged to celebrate his or her heritage and to respect and value those of others. In that respect, racial identity is a positive thing that allows all of us to maintain a psychological familial connection to our ancestors and to our heritage in a positive way that adds value to our lives. However, racial identity is only beneficial when it is something of our own choosing and when we live in a society that values all people equally in that respect. It is quite another thing entirely when our racial identity is something that is foisted upon us, as members of a racial…… [Read More]

Cross Cultural Health Perspectives When

Over the course of time, this will lead to a dramatic rise in the number of cases that are being reported, based upon the kinds of foods that are being consumed by this demographic. (Dilip, 2001, pp. 81 -- 87) As a result, different cultural factors are having an impact on this problem. While at the same time, many individuals will feel pressure to consume this cuisine. Part of the reason for this, is because it is expected that they eat this to embrace their culture. If they do not, they risk the possibility of being seen as some kind outcast. (Cousins, 1992, pp. 549 -- 555)

To change what is happening, we need to leverage the relationship / expectations towards: shifting the way these foods are prepared and the frequency that they are consumed. As, we want to encourage people to begin cooking in vegetable / olive oil and…… [Read More]

Professional Communication Cultural Sensitivity Among Native Americans

Professional Communication: Cultural Sensitivity Among Native Americans

In nursing school, we are normally taught that we should respect the dignity and rights of all clients. As the "world becomes reduced" and societies and individuals become more mobile, we are progressively able to network with people that are from other cultures. Cultural respect and competence for others becomes particularly significant for us as nurses and patient supporters. Applying the principles and theories of communication is important for sufficient patient care. A lot of various communication methods are executed and have diverse focuses. Small groups use mechanisms such as objectives, standards, cohesiveness, behaviors, and therapeutic issues. Duty, process and midrange groups are separate categories. Orientation, tension, cohesion, working and dissolution are stages groups go through. Successful personal and professional communication profits the patients and other health professionals; however, the lack of applicable communication can lead to poor patient results and a hostile…… [Read More]

Sex Body and Identity

identity institutionalized in mainstream culture?

Belonging to a group differentiated by character and trait best defines the identity of an individual. Identity can also be distinguished in a qualitative and quantitative approach by means of identifying the disposition and similarity of a person. The state of being as "I'm" denotes the individuality of a man in a common state within a group since the individual is all but one. Such that, a man can be qualitatively identical to another man by means of his trait but can never be identical to another man in terms of individuality or the state of being one. Wikipedia further explains this by citing:

"Examples of this might be two wine glasses made in the same wine glass factory on the same production line ... (at least, for a relaxed standard of exact similarity)

For example, Clark Kent is numerically (quantitatively) identical with Superman in…… [Read More]

Culture and Identity the Combined

A widely quoted and interesting functioning definition has been provided by Geert Hofstede who suggests that culture should be considered as software of a person's mind. He is reported to have said that each individual possesses certain patterns and forms of contemplation, emotions and possible acting that they have probably acquired during their life (Hofstede and Hofstede, 2005).

Most of these patterns have been obtained through their early childhood experiences as those are the time when an individual is most likely to acquire learning and build on it. Just the way a computer regards its "thought processes" and functioning as its software, the patterns or formations of thinking, experiencing and carrying out psychological processes in an individual can be referred to as the software program of the mind (Hofstede and Hofstede, 2005).

However, this does not imply, most definitely that individuals are supposed to function or behave as a computer…… [Read More]

Self-Expression of Identity Literature Review

Each outside label has an affect on that individuals own conception of them, effectively rising or lowering self-image. These categories allow individuals of the same label to sometimes band together in order to further develop their own unique identities away from the labeling and discrimination from the larger group who may view them as abnormal, (Oxoby & McLeish, 2007: 13). Once inside a more specific group, these individuals have the capacity to flourish, and gain more and more self-esteem, (Handler, 1991: 223). However, when placed outside of these smaller groups into the larger population, this identity is once again viewed in a discriminatory manner, (Taylor & Moghaddam, 1994: 134). This occurs mainly due to the xenophobia each group portrays towards other groups, which then creates a hostile environment for the establishment of strong individual identities.

One way to examine the formations of deaf and queer identities using the Social Identity…… [Read More]

Racial Identity Complexities and Potential in Cross-Cultural

Racial Identity

Complexities and Potential in Cross-Cultural Counseling

In 1897 the French sociologist Emile Durkheim wrote about the influence of culture on suicide rates among different groups. He found that while suicide seems to be the most private and most individualistic choice that a person can make (what could be more private than the dialogue that an individual has with eternity, after all) cultural values still hold sway. His research has been criticized over the decades, but its central point remains valid. Culture seeps into every level of both our conscious and unconscious behaviors, and therefore must be attended to in every aspect of the therapeutic process. However, while at least most therapists as well as most of those individuals studying to become therapists are certainly aware of this fact, this awareness does not necessarily translate into sufficient care taken to minimize the harm that cross-cultural misunderstandings or blindnesses that…… [Read More]

Regionalism Regional Identity

Regional Identity and Its Literal Purpose

Regionalism is a common sense of identity. It is an expression of an identity that shapes activities in a particular geographical region. In early 1980's regions resurgence of regional self-consciousness was part of the general democratization process. Members of different regions, minorities and majorities, reclaimed what they considered as history leading to regional development. The process of increasing social and political awareness has led to rise of cultural and political dimensions of regionalism (Roth 59). A group of identity is politicized when it affects human judgments on political issues, or affects human decisions on how we act politically like voting for someone. This can define regionalism as the politicization of regional identity. This implies that regional populations have certain common interests that they can advance as a group. They advance these interests to preserve cultural identity, which is threatened by cultural standardization and to…… [Read More]

Compare and Contrast the Way Each Author Approaches and Understands Identity

Hall vs. Goffman

Goffman (1959) defines identity in a metaphoric manner as a type of theatrical performance that is shaped by the motives of the actor and the audience. Thus, person's identity is dependent on the social and relational aspects of the situation. There is degree as to how much someone actually believes that the performance one is giving represents reality. At one extreme, a person/performer believes whatever they are doing represents reality and at the other extreme the performer has no belief at all that their actions stand for anything sincere or real. Goffman's analogy is an attempt to relay the notion that identity is social in nature and a social construction.

A central concept in Goffman's analogy is the concept of front, the standardized expressive equipment that people use to define situations in a fixed way. There are several components of a front: The setting represents the environmental…… [Read More]

Consequences of Cultural Conflicts After Immigrating to

Consequences of Cultural Conflicts After Immigrating to America

"Each Culture evolves it is own norms-rules for accepted and expected behavior" (Myers, 2010, p.154). The norms that define our culture and occasionally distinguish it from other cultures become ingrained at an early age through an almost unconscious process. The 'cultural wind' mentioned by Myers captures in a catch phrase the ease with which many of us transition through our social lives when we remain rooted in our culture of origin, because the cultural wind, which is made up of these norms, blows with us (2010, p. 154). Myers' suggests that when "… set adrift in a foreign land as a collectivist, you might experience a greater loss of identity" (2010, p. 156). This loss of identity would be a source of stress because the cultural winds would no longer be blowing with use, but against us.

The elements of cultural identity…… [Read More]

Global Cultural Politics the Process

This in turn will lead to a rift between civilizations, one that would encourage them to rediscover their own individual cultural identity. Therefore, the globalization of the world can mean the fragmentation of cultures and the possibility of new conflicts along civilization lines.

The theory of Samuel Huntington however has had several critics who argue that in fact the neo-liberal approach of world economics and politics will increase the financial resources of the world and thus foster the creation of a global culture based on similar moral values and norms. However, it is less likely for the neo-liberal practices to have this effect on the short-term because it is rather clear from the image of today's world that globalization has led, in a constant manner, to inequality. This consideration is rather simple and revolves around the issue of the distribution of resources. More precisely, the developed world has limited resources…… [Read More]