Discourses Of Identity Research Articles

Trashing tradition: decoloniality and the rise of ideological dogmatism in comparative education

ABSTRACT The early twenty-first century has seen the emergence of a dogmatic strand of decolonial scholarship, often relying on racialised identity discourse and ad hominem critique, that rejects the ‘Western’ foundations of comparative education as irredeemably colonial. The rise of dogmatic decolonialism constitutes the latest and most far-reaching of several inflection points within the history of the field. This article begins by reviewing the development of comparative education as a scholarly tradition, considering its foundational epistemological orientations and challenges to them. This allows us to analyse the challenge posed by decolonialism from a historical perspective. We show that, far from injecting fresh historical nuance and complexity into comparative scholarship, dogmatic decolonialism is entrenching itself as an intolerant new orthodoxy. The threat this poses to rigorous, open and balanced scholarly debate underlines the need for an urgent renewal of comparative education as a robust and relevant field of scholarly enquiry.

Teacher Identity Discourses in Place—Exploring Discursive Resources in Pre-Service Teachers’ Constructions of Teacher Identity

This methodological article focuses on how to effectively map pre-service teachers’ use of discursive resources in professional identity production. By adopting a discourse analytical approach, this study views identity construction as a situational, real-time process occurring in interaction. The aim is to contribute knowledge about how to systematically map and analyze the resources that pre-service teachers use to construct their teacher identities during their education. Drawing on the framework of Mediated Discourse Analysis, this article presents a model that integrates two key concepts: discourse domains, which refer to the types of discourse commonly used in teacher education, and layers of discourse, which address societal levels in identity construction. The results suggest that using these concepts to map students’ use of discursive resources highlights how their knowledge of the teaching profession, their education and everyday experiences can be assets when constructing their teacher identities. While the model can be further refined and developed to better show the complexity of discursive resources in identity construction processes, it shows promise as a fruitful approach. By mapping and visualizing discursive resources through this model, this study offers valuable methodological insights into how to approach professional identity development among pre-service teachers.

Identity discourse in teacher education: Developments in national-cultural identities of pre-service teachers in Israel

In our multi-cultural world, it is crucial that teachers have the ability to engage in dialogical and pluralistic discourse on identities. This qualitative study aimed to characterize the process that preservice teachers underwent in their course, “Identity Discourse in the Classroom,” in a teacher education college in Israel. The analysis focused on the development of their national-cultural identity. The results demonstrated that the students moved from ambiguity to clarity and reflexivity concerning their national-cultural identity. They also demonstrated that the course created an infrastructure for the emergence of a non-essentialist identity consciousness, one that reflects a moderate constructivist view.

From Exile to Belonging: The [re]construction of Identity in the Context of Forced Migration

Focusing on Syrian and Afghan refugees and asylum seekers in Spain and Greece, this study employs social identity theory and intergroup contact theory to examine the process of identity construction. Drawing from thirty-five semi-structured interviews, the study highlights how the positive distinctiveness of their homeland and community significantly shapes their sense of self-worth, despite having fled due to persecution. The study finds that Afghan and Syrian refugees alike demonstrate a close attachment to their natural heritage, while also assigning particular importance to the historical and cultural legacies of their native lands. This sense of homeland identity interlaces with a multifaceted self-representation, mirroring the intricate ties between the host and homeland. Three identity discourse patterns appear: persecuted identity, identity conciliation, and critical consciousness. The refugees' dual perception of their homeland, as both a failed and desired land, influences their perceived self-worth in interpersonal interactions, as well as their sense of integration within the host society.

COMMON VALENCES Combinatorial play, subversion and otherness in the works of Péter Esterházy

This paper examines gender stereotypes and gender subversions and how otherness is represented in three works by Péter Esterházy. The libretto and prose of Daisy is set in the linguistic space of a transvestite bar, and since its essential component is the radically appropriated quotation, it can be said that the author actually constructs tabloid otherness from domesticity. The dynamics of the mask and performative gestures are as important as the disorientation of the texts’ directions of movement. Esterházy’s text (Seventeen Swans), written under the pseudonym Lili Csokonai, is also far more than a play on fictional female authorship: the work is also permeated by discourses of otherness and identity. The archaic use of language also initiates a dialogue with socio-cultural models of acceptance, inclusion and difference. The homosexually charged interjection in a bizarre scene from Esterházy’s last work, The Pancreatic Cancer Diary, becomes a tragicomic image of the radical narcissism of facing death.

Performing the “Tribe”? Ethnic Heritage Associations and the UNESCO 2003 Convention in Malawi

This article explores two interlinked forms of identity expression and heritage production in postcolonial Malawi. The first is the way ethnic communities reconstruct their cultural heritage and identities through the establishment of ethnic-based heritage associations which exhibit heritage at cultural festivals. This points to the shift in cultural production from one that was dictated by the discourse of national culture and single identity to one that is defined by the discourse of heritage which appeals to democratic sensibilities. The second is the inventorying and listing of cultural elements as dictated by the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is noted that the proliferation of ethnic-based heritage associations found resonance and synergy with UNESCO’s appeals for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage as propagated by its 2003 Convention. However, as the article demonstrates, the imperatives of democracy and the UNESCO 2003 Convention promote ethnic consciousness at the expense of national consciousness. This creates a dilemma in imagining the nation. Drawing on archival and oral evidence, the article argues that the ethnic-based heritage associations, while promoting cultural preservation in line with the UNESCO Convention of 2003, have become sites of political mobilisation where notions of tribe and tribalism are reproduced and reaffirmed. Ultimately, the UNESCO 2003 Convention, while promoting the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, reinforces the idea of tribe in Malawi. The article contributes to our understanding of the politics of identity and heritage production in postcolonial Malawi.

Stagings of Self-Marginalisation, Self-Stigmatisation and Self-Victimisation in Martin Heidegger’s Textual Communications

Constructions of marginalisation, peripherality and exclusion appear as increasingly important strategic moments of postmodern as well as post-factual identity discourses. The associated staging strategies, as elements of mimicry of marginality, will be opened up in this paper on the basis of Martin Heidegger’s text-communicative behaviour. Based on the strategies of self-referential marginalisation, stigmatisation and victimisation, found in his textual communications, we reflect on which discourse actors use, which strategies of the mimicry of marginality, for which goals, and under which conditions. Moreover, the necessity of a discourse-ethical re-reading of Martin Heidegger shall be made visible.

“The Sweetness of the Persian Tongue”: the Limits of Poetry in Medieval and Early Modern Georgia

Abstract The history of medieval Georgian poetry is long and complicated. Placed between Persian and Byzantine commonwealths, the unification of the Georgian kingdom under the Bagratids in the eleventh century brought about a dramatic cultural revival. The formation and development of what is known as secular poetry was a reaction to the simultaneous adoption and adaptation of Persian and Byzantine elements by Georgian culture. As a result, over time, a distinct literary genre was shaped, with its own linguistic, graphic, and poetic registers – emerged, which was often contrasted with ecclesiastic writing alongside a a rigid differentiation between secular and religious writing generally and poetry specifically. The present paper identifies the origins and reasons for such a differentiation in early modern and modern political and literary discourses. While it mentions many poems from the twelfth to the seventeenth century, two relatively early theories of poetry are discussed in detail: Ephrem Mc‘ire’s (twelfth-century) reference to the “form and substance” dichotomy in poetry and Shota Rust‘aveli’s (twelfth- or thirteenth-century) vision of what does and what does not constitute proper poetry. In subsequent centuries, these discussion about the limits of poetry were integrated into identity discourses, as illustrated by the numerous sequels to and emulations of Rust‘aveli, and fed into a certain anxiety over Georgian culture within the context of total Persian dominance

Black excellence: the affective experiences of Black working-class young people in an English secondary school

ABSTRACT Affect and habitus are used in the paper to harness the intermingling of race and class in the young people’s everyday identity practices at school, as they aspire to embody ‘Black excellence’. This paper draws on ethnographic data collected with working-class Black-British young people aged between 16 and 18. Through the careful management of identity and reputation, the young people in this paper negotiate affective struggles to attain and secure a high academic status within a deeply neoliberalised school context. The paper argues that the identity discourse of ‘Black excellence’ connects dimensions of class and race in the young people’s identity work. Black excellence is described as classed and racialised reflexivity which helped the young people pivot their identity as they sought to maximise their educational opportunities to transition into elite universities.

„Was denkst du, gibt es Orte, die uns in die Vergangenheit blicken lassen und uns gleichzeitig die Zukunft zeigen?“ Zur inneren Auseinandersetzung mit der Vergangenheit in Iris Wolffs Roman „Halber Stein“ (2012)

Abstract The article looks at the novel Halber Stein (2012) by Iris Wolff and focuses on the inner transformation of the protagonist. In contact with the memory space of Transylvania and the history of the Transylvanian Saxons, she overcomes the break in her biography, which is brought together by the image of the “Half Stone”. Against the background of historical turning points, the Transylvanian-Saxon world is presented as a landscape of memory, changing identity discourses are presented, which are linked to the overall political climate and different places of memory. The search for identity and the repressed memories find their counterpart in grandmother’s winding house.

National identity politics and postcolonial sovereignty games: Greenland, Denmark, and the European Union

The relationship between Greenland and the EU is to a great degree influenced by the image of Greenland being on the path towards independence from Denmark. In both countries, identity discourse idealizes the homogenous nation state, leaving the ‘community of the realm’ in need of a good explanation. However, attempts to explain Greenland’s continued reliance on outside help in its development towards independence continuously risk infantilizing the country. As climate changes are establishing the Arctic as a site of mineral extraction and commerce, Greenland is finding new ways of diversifying its dependence. Important in this regard is the way Greenland’s relationship to the EU is played out as a series of ‘sovereignty games’ that minimize Denmark’s role as intermediary. This book looks at changes to national identity discourse and foreign policy through four analytical strategies — identifying the core concepts of Danish and Greenlandic identity through discourse analysis; reading political debates as identity-political negotiations; using qualitative interviews with key actors to see how clashing identity discourses are managed in diplomatic practice; and approaching legal texts as the ‘frozen’ outcome of these ‘sovereignty games’. In conclusion, the book draws up scenarios for how the expiry date of the ‘community of the realm’ may be extended – by finding new metaphors that will facilitate equality, and by employing Danish diplomacy to make Greenland less dependent on Denmark.

Iconic architecture as vessel for political and cultural expression-Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall changing with Singapore cultural icon

ABSTRACT Architecture embodies symbolic meanings evolving across shifting socio-political landscapes. This paper investigates the multivalent transformations of Singapore’s iconic colonial landmark – the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall (VTCH). Tracing VTCH’s metamorphosing roles, functions, and identities through historical ruptures like British rule, Japanese occupation, decolonization, and nation-building, it illuminates how the complex underwent profound changes. The analysis underscores how regimes continually reimagined this architectural palimpsest to forge national narratives, consolidate collective memories, and materialize power relations. VTCH’s transition from colonial edifice to a symbolically imbued site mirrors the intricate interplay between built environments and Singapore’s spatial politics. Once symbols of colonial dominance, the buildings later embodied sovereign nationhood and nostalgic roots. Notably, VTCH recently assumed new roles driving cultural tourism and economic growth. Through a diachronic interrogation of this singular icon, the paper elucidates broader dialectics between decolonization, nation-building, and the semiotics of heritage in (re)constructing collective identities. It offers insights into how societies redefine spatial legacies to serve evolving ideological imperatives and identity discourses. Integrating the micro-architectural and macro-national enriches understandings of the mutually constitutive relationships between the built environment, political authority and national consciousness.

Event communication of university museums and scientific organizations (based on the experience of the “Night of Museums – 2024” in St. Petersburg)

The article is devoted to the consideration of event communication using the example of participation in the all-Russian event “Night of Museums” by museums of universities and scientific organizations of St. Petersburg in 2024. A sociological survey of St. Petersburg residents showed sufficient awareness of the “Night of Museums” event: every second person knows both about the event and about its holding in 2024 in the Northern capital. However, those wishing to take part in it in 2024 did not exceed 20%, especially to visit museums of universities and scientific institutions (2%). Analyzing the category ‘event communication’ at the intersection of methodological approaches of political science and discourse science, the author considers it promising to study the mutual influence of three discursive constructs: museum discourse – discourse of state memory policy – discourse of national identity, considered in relation to modern political realities of Russia in the context of the implementation of the national security strategy.

Identity discourse - support for overcoming identity confusion

In the context of Moldova’s reorientation towards the values of the multicultural European community, national identity requires a new approach. Over the past two centuries, the identity discourse in the Prut-Dniester region has been suppressed, with legitimization references distorted, falsified, and substituted. Consequently, the collective memory, a nation’s intangible treasure and backbone, remains damaged and mutilated in crucial segments. Even after the disintegration of the Soviet empire and the establishment of the Republic of Moldova, identity uncertainty persists among Romanians, the predominant population. The identity discourse has yet to be correctly perceived, understood and at least accepted, if not assumed. Through this study, focused on the identity discourse constantly promoted by Metropolitan Gurie, we propose samples of analysis and formats of consensus platforms, elaborated based on his perpetuated discourse for the consolidation of the identity landmarks of Romanians in Bessarabia, which could be useful in the challenging geo-political context currently faced by the country.

The illusion of home and belongingness: a representation and (dis)location of home in Tabish Khair’s novels

ABSTRACT This paper foregrounds Khair’s two novels, The Bus Stopped and Filming: A Love Story, examining the concepts of home, representation, (dis)locations and its non-belongingness, focusing on the discourses of Indian nationalism and national identity. There is a massive gap between the living styles of rural and urban people in India. How people live in a country is vital to a modern nation and its nationalism. Khair says, ‘houses do not make homes’ because the concept of home varies according to the socio-economic conditions. Many poor people in India do not have a permanent home and constantly migrate from one place to another. They mostly make a temporary one-night stand for home, but unfortunately, their journey becomes a permanent home. That makes their existence neither inside nor outside society, creating a different kind of third space, but far more precarious than Bhabha’s notion of a third space. In Khair’s novels, the concept of third space is far less empowering than Bhabha’s notion of third space in postcolonial studies. Khair also shows that home is an illusion, not a permanent place that constantly changes like a dream and never gets concretised.

The subaltern strikes back, or how Ukraine is claiming agency from Russia and the European Union

ABSTRACT Using the concept of liminality in combination with ontological security through an overarching postcolonial lens, this article shows how Ukraine as a liminar on the East–West spatial-ideological axis has successfully claimed agency from the European Union (EU) and Russia in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion. We argue that the latter has acted as a critical juncture for Ukraine, to the point that agency has emerged from a state of ontological anxiety. Provoking the need to fight for the survival of the Self, Russia’s invasion has strongly accelerated the transformation of Ukraine’s liminal identity, uniting the country around a new asserted Self. Russia’s aggression has pushed Ukraine to definitively reject the narrative of a common identity promoted by Russia and claim its rightful belonging to Europe, thereby unleashing unprecedented agency vis-à-vis its significant Others, i.e. Russia and the EU. From the EU’s side, Ukraine has finally been embraced within the European family by receiving candidate status. From Russia’s side, Ukraine’s successful application for EU candidate status has consolidated Ukraine’s departure from Russia’s perceived sphere of influence. Along with Ukraine’s nationwide resistance against the invasion, this destabilises Russia’s projected identity discourse around the Slavic brotherhood and the “Russian world”.

Beyond Ellis Island: Unpacking the Negativity Around Contemporary Migration

The year 2024 is the 100th anniversary of the end of Ellis Island as the welcoming gateway to and for millions of international migrants to the United States. It is also a presidential election year in the same country, where migrants and migration are lambasted, even as the economy cannot have enough of them. This behaviour pattern is not unique. By focusing mainly on the United States, this paper proposes a set of inter-related explanations as to why immigration can become – and persist in being seen – as a negative policy issue in the public eye. First, anti-immigration rhetoric is adopted as a rallying call by at least one mainstream political party. Second, the country’s migration policies are enacted via executive order; and thus, they unwittingly become a proxy scorecard of alleged government inefficiency and incompetence, which, in turn, are projected as risks to national security. Third, in countries with either a relatively short history of independence, or with strong nativist cultures, nourished by a discourse of identity, patriotism, and a proto-ethnic sense of ‘the nation’, immigrants are seen to pose an existential threat; at best, any migrants have an obligation to ‘fit in’ via assimilation into their host community.

Intersections of Genre and Identity in Contraceptive Health Discourses

This study aims to examine online contraception texts as a way to interrogate the intersections of identity, inclusivity, and access in contraception and reproductive health discourses. At the center of this project is the understanding that, while many contraceptive technologies are designed for and marketed towards "women" for the sole use of preventing pregnancy, the actual users of contraception and their purposes for its use are diverse and involve considerations of sexuality, gender identity, socioeconomic status, ability, cultural and religious norms, and access to healthcare. By examining the genre of contraception texts through systematized coding and rhetorical analysis, this study examines how the constitutive genre features of these texts do and do not recognize the diversity of users, with a particular focus on users in the trans community.

Historical and cultural dimensions of the philosophy of the future: globalisation and identity

The purpose of the research is to highlight the prospects for the influence of philosophy in the context of the socio-cultural dichotomy associated with the confrontation between the principles of globalisation and identity. The turn of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries was marked by a focus on the synergistic potential in the worldview paradigm, which corresponded to the meanings of global character. At the same time, the dialectical component of society's development has retained its influence, expressing the desire of a person or community to preserve identity. The purpose of the article is to identify the specifics of philosophical thought within the two dominant dimensions of socio-cultural progress - interaction and confrontation. Achieving a balance between these two tendencies is the key to harmonising the world picture and avoiding destructive manifestations of a socio-cultural nature. The methodological basis of the study is focused on the analysis of philosophical ideas on the historical and cultural status of man, society and civilisation. The analysis of scientific and philosophical works was carried out within the framework of a variation sample, which allowed to use both philosophical and dialectical, as well as synergistic methodological potential. The results of the study point to the levelling of the positions of the philosophical interpretation of globalisation and identity in the socio-cultural discourse. The analysis of 50 philosophical works published over the past five years has demonstrated approximately equal indicators in the cultural and historical characteristics of social activity. This indicates that the worldview paradigm of our time is at the stage of choosing a strategy for civilisational development, considering the two most popular ways of development: globalisation and identity. The research perspectives are focused on the role of philosophical interpretation of the prospects for socio-cultural development. Strategic thinking is an advantage of the philosophical potential in terms of forming a strategy for civilisational progress. Conclusion. Contemporary philosophical discourse is at the stage of determining the dominant strategy for the development of a person, community and humanity. Globalisation and identity reflect the principles of two fundamental worldviews - dialectics and synergy. The role of philosophy involves a thorough description of these two socio-cultural dimensions in order to determine a favourable scenario for the development of society.

How to Humanize ‘Feral Children’: Constructing ‘Proper Identities’ in Liberal and Illiberal Legal Discourses

Abstract The subjects of this article are the mechanisms of constructing the identity of the collective subject of sovereignty in liberal and illiberal discourses and the issue of the relationship between collective identity discourses (primarily those related to law and imposed by law) and the political. The author adopts a specific perspective inspired by post-structuralism and post-Marxism. This perspective denies the claim of modern liberalism to be a meta-category in relation to other political and ideological options. The so-called post-politics inscribed in liberal discourses is, from the point of view of post-Marxism, a political proposition deeply entangled in ideology. The basic thesis of the article is that both the liberal and illiberal discourses in the construction of the subject of sovereignty are essentialist and perceive this subject as an imagined community that must be built with the significant participation of the law and (partially hidden) coercion.