Contemporary Identity Research Articles

Poetry as a Tool For Outreach in Quaternary Science: Examples From the 20th INQUA Congress

In this paper I present a series of poems written as Poet-in-Residence at the 20th International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA) Congress in 2019 and evaluate my experience of their composition and the effectiveness of their dissemination via social media from my perspective as a poet and geoscientist. The poems, which mainly focus on research papers presented at the conference in sessions on climate change and cultural legacies, ice-sheet dynamics, and fluvial landscape evolution, illustrate how many themes within Quaternary science, and their relevance to the history, contemporary identity, and future sustainability of human society, can inspire poetic responses. Although the social media reach was relatively modest, engagement with the poetry by other scientists and poets indicated that there is interest within the Quaternary science community for exploring poetry as a method of communicating research. Consequently, recommendations for similar activities in future conferences include organising more participatory and performative activities during the conference programme such as workshops or readings to develop this interest, and varying the methods of dissemination using different social media platforms.

Living with difference: Ontological security and identification of second-generation members of the Nigerian diaspora in Peckham, ‘Little Lagos’, London

This article presents the impact of digital technologies and small media on the second-generation members of the Nigerian diaspora in Peckham (London, United Kingdom). Situated within the larger context of global trends, cultural production and commodification that have become central to contemporary identity articulation, the article argues that cultural production and consumption have become the site of creativity in negotiating multiple attachments for this second-generation offspring of the initial migrants in such a way that living with ‘difference’ has become a part of everyday diasporic experiences. The article shows how second-generation Nigerians in Peckham perform their diasporic identities around the popularity and the inclusion of Afrobeats music, Nollywood films and the representation of ankara clothing styles in the host society and in the global mainstream. It reveals the dialectic interaction between local cultures and global media by showing how digital technologies not only make it possible to connect across space and time but also aid the production of new identities. In contrast to the fear of the older migrants over their perception of non-involvement of young Nigerians in belonging to their homeland, a sense of patriotic pride is demonstrated by their offspring. Insights are drawn from seven-month ethnography of the Nigerian diaspora in Peckham, London. The findings suggest that the inclusion of local artefacts from Nigeria in the host society provides a sense of national pride for the born abroad children in their country of heritage.

National Identity in the Guest Room: The Palestinian “Duyuf”

This article explores the manifold dimensions of Palestinian contemporary identity through the lens of the ghurfat al-duyuf (traditional guests’ room) and its design. It argues that against a backdrop of a decades-long military occupation, this domestic space devoted to social functions is the terrain where families spontaneously express the core features of their identity and their participation in Palestinian nationhood through the layout of meaningful objects. It further contends that the narratives that emerged from the ghurfat al-duyuf over a ten-year observation period necessitate the reframing of Palestinian identity as a nuanced complex of diversities. Using a combination of architectural and ethnographic methods, the article seeks to provide an alternative approach to the subject matter, based on empirical observation of small-scale, everyday realities and common practices in the guests’ room.

Making sense of romantic jealousy in late 18th-century Sweden – the experiences of Pehr Stenberg

ABSTRACT Focusing on the life description of clergyman Pehr Stenberg, this article examines the internal processing of romantic jealousy in a late 18th-century Swedish context. During his lifetime, Stenberg wrote a vast life description with the intent of documenting his innermost thoughts and feelings. In this account, the romantic jealousy that plagued Stenberg during his second marriage is described in intimate detail. Using this extensive and complex account to conduct a micro-historical exploration of romantic jealousy, this article displays jealousy as an entangled emotion by examining its relationship to key contemporary beliefs, thoughts and ideals, as well as to other emotions. Consequently, jealousy in relation to love and marriage, honour, psychological and physical pathology and religion is examined. Although comprising a single account, the life description of Pehr Stenberg manages to display the multidimensional nature of romantic jealousy and the very historically specific ways in which we explain and process our emotional experiences.

Eve Was Framed and Other Interpretations from the Exegetical Vanguard

This article traces the interpretation of Genesis 1:26–28 from the approach of contemporary identity studies over the past fifty years (in honour of the fiftieth anniversary of Bible Week). The article commences with a personal anecdote as a means of demonstrating the link between the biblical text and the lived experience of real people in relation to feminist interpretations. The article continues by detailing examples of academic writing from the following contemporary hermeneutical approaches: feminist, Earth-centred/environmental, queer (LGBTQi+), post-colonial, and indigenous.

Education and the Postmodern Subject in Neoliberal Society and the Possibilities of Emancipation by Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy

Background: In a society increasingly marked by the logic of contemporary capitalism, education becomes an instrument for the reproduction of alienated labour forces. Objectives: To provide an overview of the characteristics of subjectivity and attitudes of the postmodern subject based on the studies of Fredric Jameson and David Harvey; unveiling the development of techniques for producing more effective ways of subjecting the company culture to neoliberal rationality described by Pierre Dardot and Christian Laval and their influences on the formation of contemporary identities; reflect on the role of education, in particular of scientific education, in overcoming the state of alienation brought about by the capitalist system of neoliberal societies. Design: Articulation between exploratory and bibliographic research, articulated with the theoretical frameworks of Paulo Freire’s critical theory and pedagogy. Settings and Participants: Given the typology of the research carried out, articles, books and documents about the capitalist system in neoliberal societies, the educational legislation and Paulo Freire’s pedagogy. Data Collection and analysis: Critical reflection on the texts consulted and included in the research. Results: There is a relationship between the subjects constituted from the marketing logic and the role of the school as a reproducer of mechanisms of subjugation to the hegemonic capitalist system; there is also the business and industrial influence in the development of educational policies throughout the history of education. Conclusions: As a possibility of transforming this scenario of alienation from the educational system to hegemonic power, the Freirean conception of emancipatory critical humanist education is presented, in addition to the reproduction of capitalist logic, based on the awareness of subjects based on dialogical pedagogy and the appropriation of the scientific knowledge as a transformer of reality.

Reading Stephen’s Speech as a Counter-Cultural Discourse on Migration and Dislocation

AbstractThe speech of Stephen in Acts 7:2–53 contains a wealth of references to biblical migration narratives, but their significance for understanding the message of Luke–Acts has been understudied. This is partly due to a recurrent focus on either accusations against Stephen (Acts 6:8–15) or the polemical conclusion of the speech (Acts 7:47–50.51–53). It also partly relates to a teleological interest in early Christian mission narrative. This article reads Stephen’s speech as a counter-cultural discourse on migration and dislocation. It provides a close reading of its biblical story-telling in conjunction with its polemical upshot, and further compares Lucan narrative choices with early Jewish and Jewish Hellenistic literary cycles about patriarchal and Mosaic discourse. It applies a critical lens to the use of ancient narratives of migration and dislocation in discussions about identity, ethnicity, and “othering;” this is of further importance for contemporary identity politics around migration. Through comparing the speech with intra-Jewish dimensions and Graeco-Roman contexts, Stephen emerges as a counter-cultural speaker whose discourse appeals to human–divine intersectionality, specifically regarding the cause of justice for the ill-treated stranger; at the same time, it avoids cultural stereotyping through categories of Hebrews vs Hellenists, Jews vs Christians, Graeco-Roman elite standards vs supposedly “non-European” profiles.

Kierkegaard at the Intersections: The Single Individual and Identity Politics

Kierkegaard’s authorship is frequently charged with being so radically individualistic that his work is of little use to social theory. However, in this essay, I argue that Kierkegaard’s notion of “the single individual” actually offers important critical resources for some aspects of contemporary identity politics. Through a focused consideration of the two notes that form the little essay, “The Individual” (published with Point of View), I suggest that Kierkegaard does not ignore embodied historical existence, as is sometimes claimed, but instead simply rejects the idea that one’s moral dignity is determined by, or reducible to, such embodied differentiation. Instead, what we find in Kierkegaard is a rejection of the quantitative judgment of “the crowd” in favor of the qualitative neighbor-love of community. In light of Kierkegaard’s claim that it is the specifically religious category of the single individual that makes possible true human equality, I contend that we can develop a Kierkegaardian identity theory consistent with some aspects of the standpoint and intersectionality theory of Patricia Hill Collins and Kimberlé Crenshaw. Although Collins and Crenshaw operate at a structural level and Kierkegaard works at a theological level, they all offer important reminders to each other about the stakes of lives of meaning in light of the embodied task of social justice.

Empowerment through Artistic Voice The role of education and the arts in raising global awareness and contemporary identity

Empowerment through Artistic Voice The role of education and the arts in raising global awareness and contemporary identity

Be(com)ing a Christian Is Not a Social Identity: Kierkegaard and the Refusal of Social Roles

This paper examines aspects of Kierkegaard’s authorship in relation to contemporary identity politics. Specifically, it argues that several pseudonymous voices in Kierkegaard’s works and identity politics share the contention that ethics presupposes concrete practical identities in order to function. Given this, one conception of liberalism, predicated on procedural equality, is not viable. However, it also argues that other voices in Kierkegaard’s oeuvres press beyond identities and proffer a radically new way to make sense of differences and equality, one predicated on infinity.

Ascribed identities in the global era: a complex approach

ABSTRACT This study focuses on the process of identity-building, wherein I aim to provide theoretical tools, other than social-psychology (especially symbolic interactionism), to help analyze the said process. Within the epistemic framework of complexity theories, I demonstrate that historical sociology provides sufficient background for understanding contemporary identity phenomena from a macro-sociological perspective. This enables the assessment of how, in the current scenario, identity dynamics can affect global phenomena and how the global social structure can affect identity-building processes worldwide. The notion of ascribed identities is, thus, crucial. In this study, I describe modernisation as a process where the ascribed characteristics (gender, religion, ethnicity) progressively lose their function of rigidly defining a person's identity, on behalf of personal achievements. Within this framework, I describe the current re-strengthening of ascribed identities and assess, through this description, which phase of the modernisation process is nowadays taking place.

De l’identité numérique vers la personnalité connectée, du diagnosticien augmenté vers le soignant virtuel : quels enjeux pour la psychologie et la psychiatrie du futur ?

De l’identité numérique vers la personnalité connectée, du diagnosticien augmenté vers le soignant virtuel : quels enjeux pour la psychologie et la psychiatrie du futur ?

Bodies, Power and Fashionable Femininity in Designer Fashion Boutiques: Between the “Panopticon” and the “Confessional”

Fashionable femininity is a complex discursive terrain. Multiple discourses compete to assert meanings for fashionable femininity and these discourses influence women’s experiences of their bodies. This article focuses upon oppressive and celebratory discourses as two powerful forces within designer fashion boutiques. From philosopher Michel Foucault, I consider how these discourses operate through a boutique “panopticon” and “confessional,” with this analysis illuminating complexities of power within the pursuit of fashionable femininity in boutique settings. This inquiry draws from a study that combined autoethnographic memoir and in-depth interviews with 18 women working in designer fashion boutiques in Melbourne, Australia. I argue that the duality of panopticon and confessional dynamics intensifies lived tensions between oppressive and celebratory discourses beyond the boutique. With fashion part of contemporary ideals of femininity, boutiques become political sites of discursive contest creating contradictions in how the fashionably feminized body is experienced, necessitating constant negotiation without the possibility of reconciliation.

Breaking the Rules: Zodwa Wabantu and Postfeminism in South Africa

Zodwa Wabantu, a South African celebrity recently made popular by the <em>Daily Sun</em>, a local tabloid newspaper, is notorious as an older working-class woman who fearlessly challenges social norms of feminine respectability and beauty. Her assertion of sexual autonomy and her forays into self-surveillance and body-modification, mediated by the <em>Daily Sun</em> and other tabloid and social media platforms, could be read as a local iteration of a global postfeminist subjectivity. However, the widespread social opprobrium she faces must be accounted for: Using Connell’s model of the gender order together with a coloniality frame, I argue that northern critiques of postfeminism omit to consider the forms of patriarchy established by colonialism in southern locales such as South Africa. The local patriarchal gender order, made visible within the tabloid reportage, provides the context within which the meaning of Zodwa Wabanu’s contemporary postfeminist identity is constructed. I examine a range of Zodwa Wabantu’s (self)representations in <em>Daily Sun</em> and other digital media in the light of this context, and conclude that a close examination of the local gender order assists in understanding the limits of postfeminism’s hegemony.

Locality in Humor Show entitled “Bocah Ngapa(K) Ya”

This article discusses a humor show which was initially aired on YouTube channel entitled “Bocah Ngapa(K) Ya”. This show particularly brings out humorous content with local dialects and exhibits local nuances of the Ngapak-speaking community. This phenomenological quality expressed by the Ngapak-speaking community as ‘self’ is understood as locality through which it connects the identity of the Ngapak-speaking community with a wider audience (global society). However, the locality displayed through such kind of shows can potentially perpetuate stereotyped identity. Thus, this article examines locality displayed in a particular humor show namely “Bocah Ngapa(K) Ya” which offers an alternative identity of the Ngapak-speaking community. Central to the analysis is an argumentation that the depiction of Ngapak people in “Bocah Ngapa(K) Ya” subverts their stereotyped identity. The purpose of this study is to reveal hierarchical identities and to present an alternative to view this local identity based on the local context and humor delivery in the humor show. The method employed is cultural studies approach in order to view this cultural phenomenon. Through this study, it is found that the locality performed in this humor indicates a contemporary identity for the Ngapak people in the current era, which posits Ngapak people beyond their prevailing identity.

The History Bubble

The History Bubble

Asserting Koreanness in South Korean middle school English textbooks

AbstractIn response to recent trends in recognizing English as the language of international communication, this study examines the extent to which English textbooks used in the South Korean education system incorporate properties of what it means to be a legitimate Korean speaker of English. By adopting a thematic approach to critical discourse analysis, the study explores seven government‐authorized middle school English textbook series widely used in Korea. Analyses center around the themes of ownership of English and identity formation, naming order convention, national independence, contentious territorial disputes, and repatriation. Findings reveal how asserting national identity and learning English are jointly framed and reflected in the textbooks. The study discusses how discourses are constructed to present opportunities for promoting learners’ cultivation of Koreanness pertaining to dominant ideologies and contemporary identity issues while enhancing their awareness in positioning themselves as competent members in the global community through the course of learning of English.

RESENTMENT – EXCAVATING A RESURGENT PHENOMENON IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY

Resentment is a powerful human emotion that has both private and social dimensions where it manifests in a variety of ways. It has been identified as the force behind uprisings against racial, economic, and political inequality and injustice throughout time, as well as in the contemporary scene. Its moral and socio-political implications have been reflected on ever since Nietzsche identified it as a major contributing factor in the genealogy of morality. Max Scheler made a brilliant phenomenological analysis of it, and Francis Fukuyama recently identified it as a significant force in shaping contemporary identity politics. It has become a significant political force in contemporary South Africa, where the politics of reconciliation have largely been displaced by the politics of resentment. Although it has generally been viewed as having negative consequences for the social compact, its moral justification in specific circumstances has been powerfully made by the holocaust survivor Jean Amery and more recently by Didier Fassin with regard to post-apartheid South Africa. However, it is often accompanied by what Nietzsche called the “falsification of the tablets of value”, which also means that it may lead to alternative mental constructions of reality that might result in delusional perspectives that can have dire social and moral consequences.

Traditional products and crafts as main elements in the effort to establish a city brand linked to sustainable tourism: promoting silversmithing in Ioannina and silk production in Soufli, Greece

City officials around the world are in search of a tourism model that will be linked to a positive impact on local communities, create jobs, and boost development in other sectors. Establishing an attractive city brand becomes part of this effort and research shows that the discussion on city branding methods has attracted attention over the last two decades not only on an academic level but also among practitioners (Metaxas 2010; Oliveira 2016). Recently, a shift can be witnessed in city marketing/branding practices toward a more inclusive and less finance-driven approach (Govers 2018; Deffner et al. 2020). Reviving traditional products and craftsmanship fits in this new approach. To which extent can local products influence the visitors to travel to specific destinations? How are traditional products linked to sustainable tourism development in smaller cities? Could the local products and crafts facilitate a positive city brand? Searching for a way to establish an identity that is based on a tradition in a strategy means that both local stakeholder groups and inhabitants should cooperate. This paper aims to explore how cities in Greece are promoting their traditional products and artisanal crafts to determine their contemporary identity. Two case studies have been selected: Soufli with its traditional silk production and Ioannina with its strong silversmithing legacy. A common element of the two cities is that recently two relevant thematic museums were initiated, leading to a discussion among local stakeholders regarding the revival and further promotion of these traditional production processes. The paper presents the results of qualitative and quantitative research; a visitor survey was conducted and interviews with stakeholder representatives/key informants were held in each city. The future perspectives and the sustainability of the process in the two cities are cross-compared and the common elements and differences are discussed critically, drawing on the results of the field research. The results of the interviews and the questionnaires showed that for both cities traditional craftsmanship form a key identity but also a vital element of the local economy. The paths that have been followed are different, but some main common elements have been detected and highlighted.

The Role of Contemporary Requirements in Shaping Iraqi Buildings Identity, (1960-1980)

The era spirit is witnessing continuous intellectual transformations in the international architectural field, influenced by the contemporary requirements. Various design trends have emerged about dealing with these contemporaries. Some designers focused on presentation importance of Iraqi contemporary identity, while others try to employ it in other directions that are not consistent with the local character. The research problem is knowledge lack in clarifying the role of contemporary requirements in shaping the identity of Iraqi buildings for the period (1960-1980) and how to employ the architectural act of its designers. The aim to determine how the architect responds to these contemporary requirements through the architectural act that distinguishes each designer from others. The theoretical framework is embodied by establishing Dealing Levels with local identity and reading it in a specific time and place within the levels of Explanation, Interpretation, and Disassembly, which were linked to the concept of an integrated response in achieving it through three strategies of revival, renewal, and reform. Then the elements are applied to a sample of the most prominent Iraqi architects in the period above to obtain results and conclusions, which emerged in achieving an integrated response case in dealing with contemporary requirements.