Common Identity Research Articles

ETHNIC MINORITIES AND THEIR ROLE IN ENSURING ETHNOPOLITICAL SECURITY IN RUSSIA

The presented scientific work is devoted to the consideration of the place and role of ethnic minorities in ensuring ethnopolitical security in Russia. The authors note that at present, neither practitioners nor the scientific community have any doubts that modern society is facing challenges related to ethnic, cultural and religious differences, and all this together underlines the importance of studying the influence of ethnic minorities on the stability of the political and social system. In this paper, a brief analysis of the role of ethnic minorities in ensuring ethnopolitical security in Russia is carried out. For a deeper understanding of the role and place of ethnic minorities in ensuring ethnopolitical security in Russia, it is necessary, first of all, to identify key concepts, and, as far as possible, to review existing points of view on the topic. Even a brief analysis of the points of view of a number of scientists and practitioners gives reason to assert that ethnic minorities are socio-cultural groups that inhabit a certain territory and have common identities that distinguish them from the dominant ethnic group in a given region. Russia is a multinational state, home to many ethnic minorities, each of which has its own history, culture and traditions.

Contending with coloniality: Unsettling migration narratives of Venezuelans in Peru

This article explores how Venezuelan migrants in Peru negotiate sometimes-contradictory notions of identity, solidarity and modernity. Building from decolonial scholarship, it argues for the importance of situated racialized accounts of migrants’ experiences. I found that a common identity as Latin Americans facilitated migration, with an emphasis on solidarity and ‘brotherhood’. Yet, Venezuelans’ narratives also reinforced hierarchical notions of development that position whiter populations as more advanced than indigenous populations. Their stories reveal a constant negotiation between discourses of shared identity and hierarchical understandings of development and modernity that are constantly perpetuated under the coloniality of power. My findings reiterate a need to not only consider multiple intersecting components of migrant identities but also the ways in which identities shift and take on different meanings in different spatial contexts. Based on 18 migrant narratives, the article addresses a lacuna of analyses examining how migrants themselves re-theorize race and development. By centering coloniality and racialization in migration, I challenge linear narratives of migration from less developed to more developed countries and show how some migrants grapple with vulnerability while also reinforcing uneven power dynamics of racialized othering.

Tribal Politics: Political Orientation Predicts Authoritarian Traits, Cross-Cultural Interactions, and Adherence to Common Identity Factors

Abstract Cultural interactions have been at the forefront of political strife in recent years as authoritarian regimes have come to power across the globe. This warrants investigation by social science researchers in the fields of social psychology, political psychology, and cognitive psychology. This study drew upon those three fields to explore the relationships between political orientation and (1) authoritarian traits, (2) attitudes towards intergroup relations and cross-cultural interactions (CCI), and (3) identity factors, largely through the lens of Social Identity Theory. Participants comprised 2,582 undergraduates at a public university in the U.S. The Diverse Learning Environments survey assessed views on social identity, intergroup relations, political and religious ideology, and social and political issues. Correlational analysis and ANOVA were conducted to determine relationships between variables and differences between groups. Results indicated that the more strongly respondents rated their political orientation as conservative, the more authoritarian traits they tended to report, the less likely they were to engage in CCI, and the more likely they were to hold negative views of those from different backgrounds than themselves. The more respondents rated their political orientation as liberal, the more open they were to diversity and more likely they were to engage in CCI. Identity factors appeared to be more important to conservatives than to liberals in that strength of political ideology was related to common identity characteristics for conservatives but not for liberals.

Aligning adaptation and sustainability agendas: lessons from protected areas

Nations worldwide are committing to international environmental agreements and defining aspirational goals aligned with their sustainable development priorities and responsibilities. The post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework is an example of such aspirations. Under this framework, nations aim to expand protected areas or create new ones as one way to integrate conservation and climate change agendas. However, implementing those high-level agreements does not necessarily align with local realities and dynamics. In this paper we examined the operational challenges experienced by protected areas actors to adapt conservation strategies to climate change. Based on interviews at the local level and a policy analysis, we identify adaptation narratives and explore potential mismatches in their implementation at the national and local level (protected areas) in three countries: Australia, Colombia, and South Africa. We assess how local visions and interpretations of adaptation align with high-level policies and how existing institutional arrangements facilitate or constrain the implementation of adaptation and, therefore, aspirations for long-term sustainability. We found that adaptation narratives at the local level are framed by common ideas and identities based on local relations within a territory. At the same time, existing governance arrangements and political contexts determine the feasibility of adaptation. The primary mismatches are high-level political and economic interests denoting different interpretations about the territory and of local realities, including the readiness, technical, and resource capacity of protected areas actors to implement adaptation. Place-based adaptation provides a common ground for scaling adaptation. However, scaling adaptation requires enabling institutional contexts, clear rules and policies to facilitate deliberations and coordinated responses across different actors and sectors, while guiding the uptake and integration of local needs and realities within national agendas.

The formation of the Bosnian identity 69

The article analyzes the features of the peace treaty that affect the formation of a common identity. The peace treaty has a limited impact on postconflict settlement and requires taking into account the interests of all warring parties. External influence plays a destructive role in the search for compromises.

Dual superordinate identities in Sweden's vulnerable neighborhoods: Stronger local and national identities associated with increases in institutional and interpersonal trust

AbstractA superordinate identity that emphasizes the shared bond between people of different groups can have beneficial outcomes according to the theoretical argument of the common ingroup identity model. Unlike previous research that focuses on a single superordinate identity, we simultaneously study two superordinate identities: local identity (identification with the neighborhood) and national identity (identification with the country of residence). Our study is set in two ethnically heterogenous and low‐income neighborhoods in Sweden. Based on four waves of panel survey data, we find that both types of superordinate identities are associated with increases in interpersonal and institutional trust. The identities have distinct consequences, however. Local identity is related to local trust and national identity to national trust. These results are based on within‐individual variation. Since high trust generally has a range of positive consequences, our results point to an approach at improving communities that are often in much need of it. We observe low correlation between the two superordinate identities and high convergent and discriminant validity of the concepts. Our results may be relevant to similar neighborhoods that exist across Europe.

Moving Apart, Coming Together: The Formation of an LGBTQ Movement Community in South Korea

ABSTRACT This study examines the emergence and development of a social movement community among LGBTQ population. Drawing on the case of the LGBTQ movement in South Korea between 1993 and 2019 from a longitudinal perspective, we identify the relational dynamics of how different movement groups avoid internal frictions and successfully develop a movement community. Our findings suggest that, as a response to repeated repressive external events, LGBTQ groups have formed and maintained collaborative networks based on a common identity as “sexual minorities.” By examining the networks of movement coalitions, we also identify key movement groups that played a critical role in connecting other groups with disparate sexual and gender identities within the community. These bridging actors were either the pioneering gay and lesbian groups that have collaborated since the 1990s or the new groups founded around inclusive collective identities such as “sexual minorities” or “queers.” Implications for the studies on social movements and homosexuality are discussed.

Can Democrats and Republicans like each other? Depends on how you define “American”

Democrats and Republicans increasingly demonstrate negative intergroup attitudes, posing a threat to bipartisan progress. Based on the Common Ingroup Identity Model, people from different political groups can simultaneously identify with a superordinate group, such as a national identity. This has the potential to ameliorate negative intergroup attitudes, though high levels of national identity are also associated with authoritarianism and intolerance. How can a common national identity improve relations between Democrats and Republicans? In this observational study (N = 1,272), Democrats and Republicans differed in how they defined what it means to be American, and higher American identity was related to more positive attitudes toward members of the other party. Most importantly, this relationship was moderated by participants' definition of what it means to be “American,” regardless of party or political orientation. Those who defined what it means to be American in more restrictive terms (i.e., U.S.-born, English-speaking, and Christian) reported less positive attitudes toward members of the other political party as their identification as an American became stronger. Taken together, our results suggest that strengthening national identity might be key to improving attitudes between Democrats and Republicans, as long as this identity is inclusive.

Sense of safety or meaning in danger? Real-contact stick fighting as an imagistic ritual.

It is a common assumption that human behavior is guided by a desire to feel safe and avoid harm. However, this view is challenged by the popularity of high-risk leisure sport and other practices that involve subjecting oneself to a considerable danger with no apparent gain. By using real-contact stick fighting as an example, I suggest that the attractiveness of at least some such practices can be explained by cognitive dynamics that are typical of affectively intense rituals such as initiations. Affectively intense rituals are known to enhance personal meaning-making and foster identity fusion, that is, the overlapping of personal and social identities. The sense of meaning thus engendered effectively satisfies common identity motives and thus elicits positive affect. By introducing ritual studies perspectives into the edgework paradigm that is commonly used to conceptualize voluntary risk taking, I contribute to an increased understanding of the cognitive processes motivating participation in extreme leisure sport.

Does Collectivism Make a Difference? A Comparative Test of Common Ingroup Strategies to Reduce Affective Polarization

Abstract Common national identity appeals have been identified as one of the most promising strategies to reduce affective political polarization. However, research on this is concentrated in highly individualistic Western democracies. Because much of the global population lives in more collectivist societies, it is important to conduct comparative tests to see if common national identity appeals operate similarly when considering the increasingly global problem of polarization. In this study, we investigate how the individualism–collectivism dimension of culture interacts with national identity salience as a polarization reduction strategy. Survey experiments were conducted in South Korea and the US. We find that priming national identity increases national pride much more in collectivist societies, but that the depolarizing effect of our national identity prime was only indirect and limited.

The Impact of Identity on the Success of Peacekeeping Missions: The Pakistani Perspective

Modern peacekeepers face many challenges in the areas in which they are deployed, including often dealing with a non-cooperative host population. However, if the peacekeepers shared an identity characteristic (this paper focuses on race, religion, language, gender, and geo-economics) with the host population, would this improve how peacekeepers and the host population interact, increasing the chances of the mission’s success? This study aims to answer this question and propose whether the UN should deploy peacekeeping troops based on this common identity criteria. Since the research was qualitative, data was primarily collected through interviews and focus group discussions with veteran and undertraining peacekeepers. After an extensive thematic analysis of the interviews, the thesis yielded the following results: a) A positive link exists between a shared identity (amongst peacekeepers and civilians) and success in peacekeeping missions b) Impartiality and timely provision of humanitarian assistance builds the good reputation of a UN contingent and can enhance ‘local acceptance’ for a peacekeeping mission c) While peacekeepers should not be deployed based on identity, language training before deployment can vastly improve how peacekeepers interact with the local populace. Hence, while the UN does not need to amend its deployment policies, language is a crucial identity characteristic that the UN can utilize to improve success in peacekeeping missions

The benefits of common inclusive identities for adolescent bystanders’ intentions to help homophobic bullying victims

Bystanders’ helping behaviors are essential to mitigate bullying and its consequences, although bystanders do not always intervene on behalf of those who are victimized. One study (N = 170) tested, experimentally, the impact of different forms of common identities (one-group and dual-identity vs. control) on youth (aged between 12 and 19 years) bystanders’ helping behavioral intentions in the context of a common form of bias-based bullying (i.e., homophobic bullying). Results showed that dual-identity triggered more behavioral intentions to help victims of homophobic bullying. Overall, these findings extended previous studies illustrating the potential of common identities to foster bystanders’ helping responses to homophobic bullying episodes in the school context.

The American Psychological Association and antisemitism: Toward equity, diversity, and inclusion.

[Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported online in American Psychologist on Jul 15 2024 (see record 2025-04658-001). In the article, three sentences and a reference were redacted related to proceedings against a university concerning its psychology program because appropriate context was not provided in the article. All versions of this article have been corrected.] This article calls for the American Psychological Association (APA) to proactively include the elimination of antisemitism or prejudice against Jewish people in its current mission to disassemble all forms of racism from its organization as well as society. In this article, Jews (estimated as 2.4% of the population) are defined as a people with a common identity, ethnicity, and religion as they experience prejudice; their intersection in Jewish identity; the history and characteristics of antisemitism and its current manifestation in public life, academic institutions, and psychology. Despite Jews having made major contributions to the development of psychology as a profession, historically through the first half of the 20th century, Jews were systematically discriminated against within the discipline of psychology through quotas for acceptance into graduate training, discriminatory employment practices in university psychology departments, and most egregiously through the espousing of "scientific racism" including eugenics by prominent leaders in the APA. We describe how historically leaders in the APA engaged in overt and covert antisemitism while the APA continues to do little or nothing to combat it. We then offer suggestions for the mitigation and elimination of this form of bias, discrimination, and hate as it once again escalates in society. We recommend that the APA engages in research about antisemitism, its predictors, consequences, and power; evaluates the efficacy of intervention programs; encourages contact with various multicultural minoritized groups; and disseminates knowledge to educate about the psychological effects of antisemitism. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Ethnic Identity and National Unity in Ethiopia: Challenges and Opportunities for Building National Consensus

<i>Background</i>: Ethiopia's rich ethnic diversity has long been a defining feature of its social landscape. The coexistence of numerous ethnic groups within the country offers both opportunities for cultural enrichment and challenges for the formation of a coherent national identity. Historical, political and social dynamics have shaped the complex interplay between ethnic identity and the quest for national unity, warranting a critical examination of the converging forces influencing the socio-political fabric of Ethiopia. <i>Objective</i>: This study aims to systematically analyze the challenges and opportunities related to ethnic identity and national unity in Ethiopia in order to identify ways to build a sustainable national consensus amidst ethnic diversity. By shedding light on the nuanced dynamics of ethnic identity formation, social cohesion and political agency, the study aims to identify strategies that promote inclusive nation building while respecting the diversity of Ethiopia's ethnic mosaic. <i>Main Findings</i>: The study examined the historical roots of ethnic identity formation in Ethiopia and shed light on the legacy of various cultural traditions, historical grievances and political developments that have shaped contemporary perceptions of ethnicity. It also critically assessed the impact of ethnic federalism, decentralized governance and ethno-nationalist aspirations on the overall quest for national unity and cohesive statehood. Furthermore, the study explored the challenges posed by inter-ethnic tensions, identity-based conflicts and socio-political fragmentation, while identifying the potential opportunities for promoting dialog, reconciliation and inclusive citizenship to strengthen national consensus. <i>Methodology</i>: Using a qualitative approach, the research draws on a comprehensive analysis of secondary sources, including academic papers, historical documents, policy papers and ethnographic accounts. By synthesizing insights from different disciplines such as anthropology, political science and social history, the study has created a holistic understanding of the multi-layered dimensions of ethnic identity and national unity in Ethiopia. <i>Conclusion:</i> The complex dynamics of ethnic identity and national unity in Ethiopia underscore the need for inclusive policies that respect the diverse cultural heritage while promoting a common national identity, recognizing historical grievances, addressing inter-ethnic tensions and fostering dialog. Balancing the diverse ethnic mosaic within a unifying national narrative is critical to moving towards sustainable nation building.

Transforming a synchronous community of collaborative critical inquiry into co-performing construction of professional development in education

ABSTRACT This paper reports a university instructor’s critical evaluative rethinking for inspiring teaching and re-development of a course for schoolteacher professional development at times of crisis, from local socio-political movements to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The instructional mode was expected to revitalise schoolteachers’ collaborative critical inquiry in multiple digital realities of a synchronous blended learning community when university campuses and schools were closed during the pandemic. A qualitative case study was adopted to evaluatively, critically, and collaboratively unpack the effects of rethinking in response to the challenge. The participants included the instructor and 25 schoolteachers. The findings highlight the inspired rethinking of synthesising emerging elements of collaborative critical inquiry in connection to the philosophical underpinning and practical structure of the Community of Inquiry framework. The course was innovatively infused with the interdependent presences of the framework towards transactional cycles of professional teaching and learning in the community. This sheds new light on the effects of co-performing construction of teaching towards deep learning experiences on professional development. The main implication of the co-performing construction is trustful cohesion of common professional identity for professional development across educational levels.

Do energy communities need to be local? A comparative study of two energy cooperatives in Europe

AbstractEnergy communities are integral to achieving the European goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. While these communities are currently being emphasized as strictly place-based, with some states interpreting RED II’s proximity criterion stringently, our research offers a contrasting perspective: We argue that a sole focus on geographical proximity fails to capture the full contributions of energy community projects, especially those that function as communities of interest rather than merely as communities of place. In order to support this perspective, our study analyses data from 5402 responses and 31 semi-structured interviews from two main energy cooperatives: Ecopower in Flanders, Belgium, and ènostra in Italy, in both of which, members are not confined by geographical boundaries and are instead united by shared energy-related interests.Our findings indicate that these two organizations are pivotal to driving the European energy transition. The organizations effectively rally their members around a common identity, thereby fostering new norms, practices, and forms of social capital as well as offering a shield against the market’s prevailing logic. This observation becomes even clearer when considering the fact that the cooperatives have reached a significant level of business maturity, with Ecopower utilizing more resources for including and empowering participants and territories. Our research underscores the importance of re-evaluating the role of geographical proximity in energy policies and highlights the potential that interest-based cooperatives have when it comes to advancing sustainable energy initiatives across various geographical scales.

A matter of identity: Promoting plant-based food among meat-eaters through a common identity priming

Meat production and consumption has been identified as a significant contributor to climate change, however its consumption is not declining. Through four experimental studies we propose an identity-based intervention to promote plant-based food among meat-eaters. In particular, we demonstrated that meat-eaters are more willing to buy plant-based food when it is primed through a common (vs. vegan) identity, because of lower meat-eaters identification and, in turn, lower identity threat. Our results contribute to the understanding of the identity-based factors in influencing food consumption and offer insights for marketers, retailers, and policymakers to encourage a more sustainable diet.

“Stuff that only mixed‐race people would understand”: Community and identity‐related experiences in online groups for multiracial people

AbstractMultiracial people are a rapidly growing group who may still lack social support from similar others in their offline lives. This study aimed to understand the user experiences in online groups for multiracial individuals. In a cross‐sectional online survey, 300 multiracial emerging adults (79% women; mean age = 23; most common ethnic identity components: 86% White/European, 44% Chinese, 17% Japanese, 16% Southeast Asian, and 13% Filipino) answered open‐ended questions about their experiences in Facebook groups for multiracial people. Participants described aspects of the groups they liked and disliked most, as well as their identity‐related experiences in the groups. We used reflexive thematic analysis to generate four themes within participants responses: (1) online groups as a gateway into connections with other multiracial individuals, (2) deriving a sense of belonging and community, (3) an opportunity for exploration and validation of racial identity, and (4) negative intrusions such as negative content (e.g., trolling, repetitive posting) and racism. For racial and ethnic minorities such as multiracial individuals, Facebook groups provide a space for community‐building and identity‐related experiences. Although online groups can foster a strong sense of community, validation, and belonging, findings also highlight potential challenges and limitations (e.g., how to delineate group boundaries, difficulty forming close relationships). Online group users and researchers should explore novel ways of maximizing these positive experiences while addressing users' concerns and negative experiences.

Polarization and Radicalization as Identity Dynamics in a Fluid Environment

Playing with parallel mirrors is one of the most famous tricks in magic. Cropping the image seen by viewers, and playing with the lights and spots is also part of the business. But these tactics are also used extensively in informational warfare as a cynical tool of trompe-oeil. Turning upside down the mirror means projecting on your adversary the wrongs and legal breaches that one actor is doing himself. Cropping scenes means making people ignore parts of reality and focusing on the sequences of the picture where the actor would like to channel the attention of the public, where lights are also playing their part in the make-up of the show.The magnitude of the distance between reality and created perception could become equal to that between a victim and an aggressor. Good sense and logic would plead for the impossibility of such a change between the perception and the reality of one’s public. However, things do happen in such a way, and an obvious lie could become credible for a specific public when emotions and beliefs are taking the place of rational behavior and factual reality. We’ve seen that emotions and beliefs can alter the perception of reality or make alternative realities admissible. The research question is if polarization and radicalization are instruments able to create such a space where belonging to a special community and assuming a common identity becomes far more important than reality and absolute truth themselves. Complacency or active need to prove to belong to the group leads to dynamics of identity able to forge a self-trumping behavior that perceives alternative needed realities according to the beliefs of the group. Our case study is the bombardment of the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza, on the 17th of October 2023, able to erase the perceived memory of the horrible Hamas attack on the 7th of October in southern Israel.

A Socio-Semantic Analysis of Hashtag Activism on Twitter

This paper is concerned with investigating how hashtags on Twitter impact society. It examines the ways in which these hashtags unite individuals, establish common identities, and call attention to issues in society. Through the examination of ten widely used hashtags, it shows how they organize online conversations. This paper delves into how social interactions and meanings shape hashtag activism using socio-semantic theory. In addition, it examines community formation, power dynamics, and key influencers in these movements. Moreover, it highlights how hashtag activism derives meaningful social change and pushes for a fairer society.