Collective Identity Research Articles

Making Music and Politics in Puerto Rico: Performative Praxis and Subjectivation in Musical Activism

Abstract. Musicians have played important roles in social movements and different forms of political action. As a social, cultural, and psychological phenomenon, the relationships between music, musicians, and politics are embedded in singular processes that warrant studying how musicians engage in political actions and make sense of their musical performances and roles in activism. In this article I describe and analyze the experience of six musicians related to their performances supporting activists and social movements. I conducted six semi-structured interviews through phone calls and video conferencing and analyzed the transcripts by focusing on the forms of subjectivations they described when remembering their interactions with activists and organizers. My main focus is how these musicians used music to support protests, fostered a sense of collective identity, and coordinated their music with activists and organizers.

Countering online ‘regional blackening': interventions for province-targeted hate speech in the Chinese digital sphere

ABSTRACT While political communication scholars usually debate whether the internet and social media are democratizing forces for China, scarce attention has been given to the role of digital media in mediating and amplifying old and new forms of prejudice, discrimination, abuse and hate in China’s cyberspace. We focus on a context-specific stereotype and insult that attacks people based on their place of domicile – ‘regional blackening’. Based on social identity theory, this study examines the effectiveness of three audience-focused countermeasures (inducing empathy, constructing collective national identity, and increasing intergroup contact) in mitigating the negative influences of hate narratives and in promoting online civic intervention, and investigates the moderating role of multiculturalism.

The relationship between feminist collective action and social media engagement

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the impact of online collective feminist actions on social media participation and the perceived value of social media as part of the social identity model of collective action (SIMCA).Design/methodology/approachA mixed methodology is used. Within the SIMCA model in the context of feminist collective actions, social identity, group-efficacy and fear predicted the intention of online collective action participation in the first part (quantitative) of the study. Contrary to predictions, the influence of anger on the intention to participate in collective action was negative. In-depth interviews are conducted in the study’s second (qualitative) part to investigate why individuals do not participate in collective actions despite their anger at violence against women.FindingsThe concept of online feminist collective action, from the perspective of the SIMCA model, deals with violence against women in the context of social marketing, revealing the importance of online collective actions as an antecedent of social media participation and the perceived value of social media. The possible causes of the negative impact of anger, which is an important emotion within the framework of the SIMCA model, on online feminist collective action were determined, and a contribution was made to the social marketing literature in the context of women’s rights.Originality/valueThe study makes three major contributions to the literature. First, women’s rights are addressed in the context of online collective action, an issue that has received little attention in social marketing. Second, in the context of the social identity theory of collective action, online collective feminist action and its predecessors are addressed. Finally, the Turkish case is used to highlight the probable causes of anger’s negative impact on collective action.

Reappropriating the communal past: lineage tradition revival as a way of constructing collective identity in Huizhou, China

This article discusses the reappropriation and redefinition of heritage and tradition as a process of purposeful and selective value extraction by various groups at the local level in Huizhou, China, based on case studies. It is a process of continuous accumulation and self-persuasion by empowering specific cultural heritages, thus reinforcing the identity and cognition of the group to which they belong. The recovery of lineage worship to negotiate different cultural meanings and gain discursive power in the village of Huangdun reveals the counterbalance of the distribution of benefits among lineage groups, locals and government officials. These heritage empowerment actions fit with the official cultural policy and the vision for cultural orthodoxy, healing the division and creating some benefits for the local community. They also generate potential conflicts between the official and folk levels but are performed with mutual achievement and utilisation rather than unilateral dominance.

From De-Tribalisation to Re-tribalisation: Conflict and Organisation Models in Discussing the Structural Transformation of Kurdish Tribes

The concept of tribe has a long history in Kurdish society, signifying a common origin through blood and place ties, corresponding to a strong collective identity and having socio-political implications. This form of social organisation, which emphasises tradition, locality and hierarchy, was expected to disappear with the modernisation movements. However, neither political actors nor modernity have been able to achieve de-tribalisation. On the contrary, the tribe has managed to reproduce itself in all processes, structures and formations. So what are the basic dynamics that make this adaptation possible? This article argues that the main dynamics that have sustained the tribal structure, and thus prevented de-tribalisation, are tribal-specific organisational models and inter-tribal conflicts, especially in accordance with the segmentary lineage system. Elections, capitalist relations, non-governmental organisations, etc. are considered in this article as intermediaries that keep these dynamics alive. Drawing on the theoretical knowledge and perspectives of anthropology and political science, the article concludes that micro-political issues such as conflict and conflict resolution strengthen the spirit of togetherness, ensure unity of action and thus make re-tribalisation possible.

Collective Trauma and Political Activism: Learning from the Bereaved Families of Shot Down Ukrainian Airline Flight 752

ABSTRACT On January 8, 2020, Ukraine Airline Flight 752 was shot down minutes after taking off from Tehran, Iran, by an Iranian surface-to-air missile. This happened hours after Iran had launched missiles at US targets in Iraq. Amongst the 176 people killed in this tragedy, many of them children, were 85 Iranian-Canadians who had traveled to visit their relatives in Iran. Over the past two years, families of the victims have struggled to find some healing from this trauma amidst political pressures in their fight to get accountability, transparency and justice for their loved ones. This paper is an account of group therapy sessions conducted over two years with these bereaved families, mostly mothers. I provide a detailed account of how relational psychoanalytic principles were utilized to develop a group psychotherapy model for dealing with this novice complex situation where the trauma is as individual as it is collective. For these families, grief and trauma is complicated by the sociopolitical issues surrounding the incident, including lack of transparency, dishonesty, insensitivity and absence of any attempts at reparations or reconciliation by the Iranian government in the aftermath of this tragedy. I examine how these political moments has come to inform psychological challenges of the group, including their emotions, dreams and fantasies. I further elaborate on how these experiences have transformed these individuals into political activists as observed not only in their individual and collective identities but also in their actual participation in the political arena.

The “I” as Implicated Subject: Performative Confession in Rian Malan’s My Traitor’s Heart

Confessional forms of autobiographical writing have predominated in post-apartheid South African literary studies. This paper discusses Rian Malan’s My Traitor’s Heart, published in 1990 during drastic social and political changes in South Africa’s transition to democracy. It was one of the first and most prominent examples of this genre. Focusing on Malan’s perspective as a white Afrikaner and an “implicated subject”, this study explored how his confessional account grappled with the existential dilemma of post-apartheid Afrikaner identity. Malan simultaneously affirmed his Afrikaner identity to confront his implication in apartheid and sought to establish a legitimate place for this identity within the new multicultural society. Through a close reading of Malan’s strategic performance, this paper argues that his work offers a means of reimagining the collective self in a new community and understanding historical injustices from a multidimensional perspective. Ultimately, My Traitor’s Heart contributes to the post-apartheid project of envisioning a more inclusive psychological and topographical construction of individual and collective identity, with the implicated subject as its centre.

Feeling European? The EU as an emotional community

ABSTRACT This article explores the importance of emotions in the European Union (EU), highlighting their role in shaping the EU’s self-image as a foreign policy actor and promoting social cohesion through emotion norms. Emotion norms are shared feeling rules that underpin collective identities and experiences within a group. Focusing on grief as an example, the article explains how it shapes the EU as an emotional community. By analyzing the EU in this way, the study examines how emotion norms help members navigate norm violations. The findings enhance our understanding of the EU’s emotional dynamics, shedding light on the contested nature of solidarity and public discourse. The article also critically reflects on the relevance of grief in EU foreign policy, emphasizing the significance of emotions in shaping EU policy and offering insights into the role of emotion norms.

Getting stuck in a collective stigma: sex offense registrants, liminality liminoid experiences, and identity limbo groups

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the internalization of group-level identities held by people who are on the sex offense registry and how these influence emotions and the willingness to accept treatment. The types and consequences of identities and stigmas are often examined at the individual level, but most people belong to groups that hold collective identities that can be detected in phrases such as “we, us, our,” etc. Design/methodology/approach Longitudinal data from 2008 to 2024 was used to examine registrant’s group identities. Interviews were conducted with 115 registrants and 40 of their family members, and narrative research analysis was used to assess how participants’ levels of liminality influence why some on the registry never come to see themselves as sex criminals. Findings Three group-level identities were found that corresponded with varying phases of liminality. The first group had a fixed mindset, no liminality and a strong sense of self. The second group of registrants had liminoid experiences, allowing them to change the way they saw themselves over time. This group had a growth mindset that believed change was attainable. The third group exhibited fixed mindset, as they either always saw themselves as sex criminals and required no transition or came to see themselves as sex offenders post-punishment. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there are no studies that have examined group-level identities among people convicted of sex crimes or what the consequences of group identities have on behavior.

Teacher education for mathematical modelling: exploring the experiences of secondary school teachers in two courses

This paper focuses on in-service teacher education as a crucial agent in driving educational paradigm shifts for the teaching and learning of mathematical modelling. Our paper presents empirical research based on two case studies, examining training courses for in-service secondary school mathematics teachers. The first course integrates different modelling approaches, while the second one is based on the anthropological theory of the didactic and uses the proposal of the study and research paths for teacher education. Both experiences conclude with teachers working on the design of modelling tasks to be implemented in secondary schools. Both courses are analysed through the lenses of how teachers progress on the collective identification of conditions and constraints for modelling, when teachers deal with the design of modelling tasks and analyse their implementations. First, the results show the kind of modelling tasks teachers design and the level of disciplinary specificity at which they plan modelling to be implemented. Second, we analyse how teachers address the “ecological analysis”, that is, the identification of conditions and constraints that facilitate or hinder the integration of modelling in secondary school classrooms after their experiences.

The future of religious pasts: religion and cultural heritage-making in a secular age – introduction

ABSTRACT The question of how to symbolize collective identities in an age marked by both nationalist fervor and diversity politics has dominated public debates and highlighted the political role of religion. But what happens to religious objects, sites, and practices when they are framed as cultural heritage? What are the forces behind the ways in which religion is drawn into the dynamics around cultural heritage and heritage-making in secular societies? And why and how do some religious places become iconic sites of cultural heritage, arousing both national sentiments and global concerns? In this article, we explore the complex politics around religion and cultural heritage and scrutinize how they intersect with processes of secularization, and regimes of diversity and secularism. We argue that there is a growing tendency in contemporary societies to culturalize religion, suggesting that the framing of collective heritage is closely linked to what counts as religion and as culture in everyday life and in official discourse. We theorize this dynamic through the concept of ‘heritage religion’ and contend that it offers a distinctive material perspective on the culturalisation of religion. Drawing on Durkheim, we point out how processes of religious heritage-making produce new forms of sacredness.

From National Traitors to National Contributors: Contesting Place and Identity through the Voluntarily Repatriated Vietnamese

This study investigates the multifaceted repatriation experiences of Vietnamese individuals who voluntarily returned from Thailand to the upland region of Thanh Hóa province between 1963 and 1965. Utilizing a historical and ethnographic approach, with interviews conducted in February, March, and April 2019; January 2020; May 2022; December 2023; and January 2024, it examines the intricate interplay of political, social, and cultural dynamics that shaped the repatriation process. The study highlights the relocation and deprivation of rights faced by the returnees, emphasizing the political complexities of repatriation. Through a multi-level analysis, this study reveals the intricate relationship between capital management, everyday life practices, and identity contestation. Additionally, it examines the collectivization and nationalist policies of Vietnam in relation to the voluntarily repatriated people’s commitment to work for the nation. In this case, transculturality served as a pivotal element in the construction of place and identity. The study analyzes the various forms of capital that shape individual and collective identities. By engaging in transcultural and localized processes of everyday life practices, returnees exercised various kinds of capital to enhance the efficiency of workers’ cooperatives. This led to new regulations supplementing those of the state, resulting in a variety of efficient cooperatives. Consequently, the repatriated peoples’ home village transformed from a symbol of national betrayal to a thriving cultural and economic hub. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the multifaceted complexity of repatriation and its implications for identity construction, placemaking, and economic development.

Is Monogamy Part of ‘Who We Are’? Romantic Norms, Defensiveness, and Collective Identity

AbstractI discuss a certain kind of emotionally charged negative reaction to defences of non-monogamous love, which I call collective-identity reactions. Expanding on work by Audrey Yap and Jonathan Ichikawa, who consider defensive reactions grounded in individual identity, I argue that collective-identity reactions are characteristically associated with claims about who we are, and motivated by a sense that the relevant we is in some way under threat. Looking into which we might be threatened by defences of non-monogamy, and why, reveals that this apparently personal subject matter is in fact entangled with global political issues like capitalism and American cultural imperialism. I conclude with some thoughts about ameliorative strategies for situations structurally similar to this one.

Islam and Culture (Ritual and Intuition)

This article aims to discuss the complex relationship between Islam, culture, rituals, and intuition. The research is based on a literatue review. In the context of Islam, rituals and intuition play crucial roles in shaping the religious experience and cultural expression of Muslim communities. Islamic rituals are not only religious acts but also manifestations of traditional values and collective identity. On the other hand, intuitions allows individuals to approach religious truths personally, transcending the limits of rationality. In this article, we explore how rituals and intuition complement and enrich each other in the context of Islam, as well as the implications of this relationship for cultural and Muslim identity. Through this analysis, we hope to provide deeper insights into the religious and cultural life of Muslims and enrich intercultural relationships in society.

Trafficking Hadassah: Collective Trauma, Cultural Memory, and Identity in the Book of Esther and in the African Diaspora by Ericka Shawndricka Dunbar (review)

Trafficking Hadassah: Collective Trauma, Cultural Memory, and Identity in the Book of Esther and in the African Diaspora by Ericka Shawndricka Dunbar (review)

Collective Identity During Societal Regression: Transformation from Self-Identification to Sub-Human Trait Associations

In this study, collective identity is explored in relation to socio-political discourses within a historical context through the 13th regression element, which is an association of others with subhuman traits. Arguments are supported through longitudinal documentary analysis and secondary data from unstructured interviews. Discourse analysis was used to analyse data. This article presents several symbolisms relevant to emerging collective identity discourses and provides evidence of how socio-political changes throughout history can cause a change or confusion in collective identity. It also argues that societies with prolonged ethnic conflict, which are under the profound influence of a mainland, are very likely to have dual identities and dissimilar identifications among their group members. Through its analysis, this article develops Volkan’s Tree Model and suggests a phase IV in light of the existing dynamics in Cyprus. This study suggests the inclusion of all possible stages in co-existence, from dissociation to unification, in proposed phase IV.

THE FRAGMENTATION OF IDENTITY: COMMUNAL VIOLENCE AND PERSONAL TRAUMA IN CHAMAN NAHAL’S AZADI

This paper analyzes the fragmentation of personal and collective identities in Chaman Nahal’s Azadi, focusing on the emotional and psychological impacts of the Partition of India in 1947. Set against the backdrop of communal violence, the novel examines the trauma experienced by its protagonist, Lala Kanshi Ram, a prosperous Hindu merchant forced to flee his home in Sialkot due to religious tensions. The paper explores how Kanshi Ram’s displacement erodes his identity, transforming him from a respected figure into a displaced refugee struggling to adapt to post-Partition India. The novel emphasizes how communalism fractures identities, forcing characters to redefine themselves within new religious and national contexts. The analysis further highlights the theme of emotional rebirth as the characters, now refugees, grapple with their losses and strive to rebuild their lives in a fragmented society. By focusing on themes of identity, trauma, and resilience, this paper asserts that this novel is not just a recounting of historical events but a profound exploration of the emotional and psychological impact of Partition on both individuals and the wider society.

NARRATIVES OF THE PAST: TRADITIONAL HISTORICAL WRITINGS IN MANIPUR

This research paper explores the vast collection of traditional historical literature in Manipur, a northeastern state of India renowned for its cultural richness and historical significance. The study examines the evolution and dissemination of Manipuri historical narratives via oral traditions, manuscripts, and chronicles. The article highlights the unique blend of mythology, folklore, and factual accounts that shape the historical understanding of the area. The study examines the role of Meitei chroniclers, who have meticulously documented the social, political, and religious aspects of Manipur, including advancements, royal lineages, and customs. Furthermore, the article explores the methodological challenges and opportunities associated with analysing traditional historical writings, including issues of translation, interpretation, and the preservation of fragile manuscripts. The analysis emphasises on significant literary works such as the "Cheitharol Kumbaba" (Royal Chronicle of Manipur) and "Puya" (sacred texts), highlighting their significance as repositories of cultural memory and identity. Moreover, the study examines the evolution of Manipuri historiography in relation to the influences of colonialism, modernism, and globalisation. This study investigates the utilisation of novel historical methodology and interdisciplinary approaches by contemporary researchers to reevaluate and reinterpret conventional sources. This article underscores the enduring significance of traditional historical literature in Manipur, not just as resources for studying history but also as crucial components of the region's cultural legacy and collective identity.

Death Kongsi and the Survival of Chinese Death Processions in Padang City

This article explains how the ethnic Chinese of Padang maintain the continuity of the death procession in Chinese culture. This article uses a historical approach by utilizing sources in the form of Dutch period documents, organizational documents of Himpunan Tjinta Teman (HTT) and Himpunan Bersatu Teguh (HBT), newspaper news and literature studies on the death processions of ethnic Chinese in Indonesia and outside Indonesia, as well as observations and interviews with HBT and HTT funeral administrators. These sources are used to find facts related to the death processions carried out by ethnic Chinese and the existence of HBT and HTT as institutions organizing Padang Chinese funeral processions. Furthermore, the existing facts are analyzed using historical and ethnographic approaches. The findings of the article show that the ethnic Chinese of Padang still carry out and preserve the implementation of the Chinese cultural death procession in an organizational forum. In this case, the organization's function as the organizer of the death procession for Padang Chinese is the key to the survival and existence of the organization itself. Various Chinese cultures preserved and inherited in the HTT and HBT organizations, including the culture of death, are essential in forming self- and collective identity and solidarity of Chinese community groups in the city of Padang.

Postcolonial Identity and Discourse: Foucauldian Analysis of Shamsie’s A God in Every Stone

This research article delves into the intricate interplay between postcolonial identity and discourse in Kamila Shamsie's novel, "A God in Every Stone," employing a Foucauldian analytical framework This paper presents a Foucauldian analysis of Kamila Shamsie's novel, "A God in Every Stone." Drawing upon the works of Michel Foucault (2016), the paper examines the novel through the lens of power, knowledge, and the construction of historical narratives. Through a close reading of key characters and events, this analysis elucidates how colonial power structures and systems of knowledge production intersect in the novel to shape individual and collective identities. The present study has been conducted on Shamsie’s A God in Every Stone to highlight the process of colonization. The interpreter has examined the ways by which the colonized resisted colonial rule. Foucault’s model of Power has been used as the conceptual framework of the study to analyze the postcolonial aspects of Shamsie’s (2014) novel. The present study is qualitative in nature. The data has been collected through the close reading technique of the A God in Every Stone. For data analysis, those textual lines have been selected in which the elements of power and resistance are present covertly. The interpreter has explored different dimensions of Foucault’s power, i.e., Sovereign power and disciplinary power. British Empire justified its colonial rule over the colonized through the colonial discourse which was prejudiced against non-white people. The colonized people resist colonial rule through their dialogues in this novel. In A God in Every Stone, the major protagonist is Vivian Rose Spencer. She is an English woman who carried out digging in Turkey to unearth the ancient silver circlet. The interpreter has inferred that the colonizers used many disciplinary strategies to subjugate the colonized people. The Indian soldiers were trained by the British imperialists to fight in the battlefield on the Western Front. Many innocent Indian soldiers lost their lives in fighting the enemies of the British Empire. The major character of the novel Qayyum Gul, fought bravely in the battlefield. Unfortunately, he lost an eye during the battle. When he returned to Peshawar, he joined a freedom movement, which aimed to liberate India from the British colonizers. Ultimately, this Foucauldian analysis of "A God in Every Stone" underscores the intricate dynamics of power and knowledge in the colonial context and sheds light on the complexities of historical representation and identity formation in a postcolonial world.