Shared Identity Research Articles

Leadership as a competition to influence and change contemporary societies

In the context of European identity, leaders often become symbols of movements for social change, and the promise of change takes a central place in election campaigns and political rhetoric. Although the discussion of leadership is less present in social psychology in the context of social change, understanding the intersection between leadership and social change can bring new and useful perspectives. The processes of social influence and leadership are fundamental for understanding the transformation at both the individual and societal levels. Leaders not only represent our collective identity, but also help us define our shared future. Social change is, thus, a collective initiative that involves mobilizing around a shared identity and vision for the future. Identity change and societal change are interdependent processes, and a deeper understanding of these processes can provide new insights into how and to what extent we can influence the direction of our society. In this article we will explore several findings that show that shared social identity is a source influenced by both collective and individual factors. It is crucial to analyze from the perspective of tripolar relations of “influence and social change”, which involves a competition between sources of influence and a public mobilized for change. This approach opens up new lines of research in both fields and helps us understand why certain views of change are more appealing than others. Together, these ideas provide a new perspective for understanding the interplay between identity, social influence, and changing social relationships.

Hukum Sebagai Pengendalian Sikap dan Perilaku Sosial

Humans are social creatures who always fulfill physical needs and recognize their existence as social creatures so that their attitudes and behavior towards other people and their environment are within a system of rules. These certain customs are sustainable and bound by a sense of shared identity. Apart from that, the surrounding natural environment contributes and has a big influence on the formation of attitudes and behavior, as well as a person's character. Therefore, law is essential to regulate social interactions, to ensure the continuity of life, fundamental things are needed, namely justice and welfare, as a means to regulate, guarantee certainty, provide credibility, a means for the government to regulate and guarantee the continuity of life. Control is a means of distributing resources ensuring order and stability of society, and maintaining its existence to achieve benefits following the objectives of the law. People's social attitudes and behavior can be controlled by the laws in force in the country where the people live. With the existence of laws, people can live comfortably, peacefully, and safely.

Interfaith Collaboration: Boundary Crossing in a Participatory Action Research Project with Health Care Chaplains in The Netherlands.

This article explores the challenges faced by a multifaith chaplaincy team in a Dutch health care organization when searching for a shared professional identity regarding the role of worldview and religion. Using boundary theory, we show how the diverse worldviews and the contradictory visions on their role for chaplaincy's professional identity led to misunderstandings and conflict. However, open and respectful dialogue about these differences helped clarify disagreements and identify common ground. The findings suggest that in secular contexts worldview remains significant in chaplaincy and that engaging in dialogue about worldviews and seeking connections across differences is the basis for a shared professional identity.

MOTHER HAS ARRIVED! Queer Kinship, Care Practices and Reconfigurations of (M)otherhood within Ballroom Culture

This paper uses the documentary Paris is Burning as a case study to explore how ballroom culture allows us to reimagine the notions of motherhood and kinship, challenging the traditional nuclear family model that emerged with capitalism. By examining the chosen families within the ballroom community, the study reveals how these articulations consist in familial bonds based on mutual support and a shared identity and struggle. However, it also critically interrogates queer kinship structures for potentially replicating authoritarian heteronormative dynamics. Hence, the analysis delves into both the liberatory aspects and the constraints of queer kinship. To address these issues, the paper proposes an ethics of care, solidarity, and critical love by advocating for kinship models that emphasize empathy, support, and collective well-being. This proposal aims to foster more inclusive and equitable family structures that resist the power imbalances found in both traditional and alternative kinship systems.

A systematic scoping review of mentoring support on professional identity formation

BackgroundMentoring’s success in nurturing professional identity formation (PIF) has been attributed to its ability to build personalised and enduring mentoring relationships. However, beyond functioning as communities of practice (CoPs) supporting socialisation processes, how mentoring integrates programme values and instils a shared identity amongst mentees remains unclear. The need for personalised guidance and timely attention to a mentee’s unique needs in evolving mentoring relationships point to the critical role of support mechanisms (‘mentoring support’). We conducted a systematic scoping review (SSR) studying “What is known about mentoring support’s role in nurturing PIF?”.MethodsAdopting PRISMA-ScR guidelines, this SSR was guided by the Systematic Evidence-Based Approach (SEBA). Independent searches were carried out on publications featured between 1st January 2000 and 30th June 2023 in PubMed, Embase, ERIC and Scopus databases. The Split Approach saw concurrent, independent thematic and content analyses of the included articles. The Jigsaw Perspective combined complementary themes and categories, creating broader themes/categories. The subsequent Funnelling Process formed key domains that platformed the synthesis of the discussion.ResultsTwo thousand three hundred forty-one abstracts were reviewed, 323 full-text articles were appraised and 151 articles were included and analysed. The key domains identified were (1) definitions and roles; (2) personalisation; (3) shepherding; and (4) PIF.ConclusionThe success of mentoring in PIF lies in its ability to blend role modelling, supervision, mentoring, coaching and teaching, with self-care, guided reflection, apprenticeship and assessment to meet the individual needs of the mentee and their changing circumstances. Blending the contents of the mentoring umbrella emphasises the critical role of the mentor and host organisation in supporting mentor training, communications, support and assessment mechanisms. Mentee engagement and its active role in support measures complement the CoP-like mentoring programme’s use of blending mentoring support to advance the socialisation process. These insights reflect a complex interactive process scaffolding the development of mentoring relationships and PIF. The effect of the mentoring umbrella on clinical practice requires further study.

Cultivating the Concept of the Chinese Ethnic Group Community from the Perspective of Cultural Identity

In the context of cultural diversity, cultivating a sense of shared identity among the Chinese ethnic group is not only crucial for national unity and ethnic solidarity but also promotes social harmony and development. Within the concept of the national community, cultural identity serves as a core element, playing an irreplaceable role in enhancing ethnic cohesion and centripetal force. Currently, China is in a crucial period of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese ethnic group, facing various complex situations and challenges. To cultivate the concept of the Chinese ethnic group community and enhance the cultural identity and sense of belonging of all ethnic groups, efforts can be made to strengthen historical education, deepen understanding of Chinese ethnic group history and culture, and thereby enhance cultural identity among different ethnic groups. To promote cultural exchange and integration, cultural exchange platforms can be established to foster mutual respect and understanding of different ethnic cultures, promote the core socialist values, and advance the inheritance and innovation of Chinese excellent traditional culture, providing strong support for cultivating the concept of the Chinese ethnic group community.

Politicizing belonging: Community formation at the Late Preclassic Maya hamlet of Dos Ceibas

Abstract People are often assumed to expand existing mechanisms—kinship in particular—to include others when they form communities. These models (con)fuse similarity with sameness, as we argue based on Husserl's concept of empathy. People recognize others without overlooking differences. They form community by negotiating belonging. We ask how individuals materialize community, how they create unity in a political process, and how they employ bordering and bonding social interactions. Our case study is Dos Ceibas, a Late Preclassic (350 b.c. to a.d. 250) Maya hamlet in the Petexbatun region. The North Plaza originated as a residential group—possibly of the hamlet's founder—and was transformed over multiple construction episodes into a public and ceremonial place. By a.d. 250, Dos Ceibas consisted of a small pyramid overlooking a plaza and two likely residential buildings. Its growth pattern sets the North Plaza apart from nearby Group MP16 and magnified internal differences. At the same time, Dos Ceibas's pyramid and plaza were likely communal constructions that project a shared community identity. The comparison with contemporary settlements nearby identifies distinct settlement layouts and suggests localized community identities.

The construction of linguistic identities in talk about food among Tibetan heritage language learners

ABSTRACT This ethnographic article examines the interactional processes through which Tibetan-Canadian heritage language learners agentively construct their linguistic identities in everyday family interactions. Because food is centrally involved in family routines, as well as broader cultural practices and the articulation of individual tastes, talk about food provides a site for analyzing negotiations of individual agency amid expressions of shared identity. Drawing from previous language socialisation scholarship that approaches family meal times as a resource for constructing identity, this paper analyzes children’s conversations at meal-times, during food preparation, and about food preferences. Through interactional analysis of twelve months of longitudinal video ethnography in two Tibetan-Canadian families, I found that, in these activities centered on food, children used multilingual and multimodal resources to negotiate authority over their cultural and linguistic knowledge. Specifically, children agentively displayed their knowledge of Tibetan language forms, elaborated on their capacities to participate in cultural activities, and instructed parents about their individual preferences. By analyzing these interactional displays of knowledge through the concepts of agency and co-operative action, I argue that children construct their identities as speakers of Tibetan, despite the dominance of English in their language repertoires.

Religion and Social Trust: Evidence From Chinese Christians in New Zealand

Social trust is vital for immigrant societies with diverse backgrounds, as it bridges differences, fosters mutual understanding, and facilitates collective actions. While most studies on the relationship between religion and social trust focus on North America and Europe, little is known about this dynamic in New Zealand. This paper examines Chinese New Zealander Christians to explore how religion fosters social trust. The findings were derived from an interpretive analysis of 47 Chinese New Zealander Christians from mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Most interviewees exhibited low general trust in strangers because of the complex and untrustworthy post-pandemic social environment. Believing in Christianity did not mitigate this negative impact. Interviewees’ particular trust in fellow congregators varied. Social network theory offers a plausible explanation for this phenomenon. Most interviewees cultivated trust in fellow congregators through frequent informal interactions outside churches. Regular face-to-face religious activities and a shared religious identity had little impact on forming particular trust in other Christians. Furthermore, Chinese Christians were internally divided based on their homelands and dialects, hindering them from constructing a shared identity. The findings enhance our understanding of how religion affects social trust among ethnic minority immigrants and their identity construction within religious communities.

Becoming United: Exploring the Link Between Couple Identity and Religiosity Within the Christian Context

Couple identity, also referred to as a sense of “we-ness,” has begun to gain more scholarly attention as an important variable that has the power to transform inevitable adversity into an opportunity to grow and flourish as a couple. Yet, there is little research that specifically examines the process through which couples form and develop their sense of shared identity, especially within the faith context. This study uses a purposeful sample of couples who self-identify as Christian and as being in non-stressed, committed marriages. It aims to explore how these couples form and develop their shared identity, while also examining the intricate ways in which their religiosity influences this process. Using Consensual Qualitative Research from in-depth interviews with nine couples (N = 18 individual participants), two salient domains with key categories were identified that shed light on the elements of couple identity formation and development, and the link between religiosity and couple identity. Implications for research and practice in helping couples to develop and foster a more resilient couple identity are discussed.

Human–wildlife interactions on the tidal flats of the Bijagós Archipelago: does shellfishing affect migratory shorebirds?

The Bijagós Archipelago in West Africa is home to an ethnic group with a rich cultural heritage that is tightly linked to nature. The Bijagós people have a shared cultural identity, but management of natural resources varies between islands due to island‐specific context with regards to socio‐political organization and strength of cultural heritage. Across the archipelago, bivalves harvested manually from the mudflats are an important part of the Bijagós people's diet, economy, and culture. Migratory shorebirds share the use of these mudflats during their non‐breeding season, consuming macrobenthos such as crustaceans and bivalves, including those harvested by local people. At the end of their stay in the Bijagós, just before taking off for their migratory flight, it is particularly important that shorebirds have access to undisturbed feeding areas with suitable food resources. In this study we start by exploring shellfishing patterns across different management regimes (via questionnaires to local shellfishers), then assess seasonal variation in the direct impact of shellfishing on shorebirds (through competition for resources and space), and finally quantify the indirect impact of sediment disturbance due to shellfishing upon shorebird prey availability with an experimental approach. Results indicate that bivalve resources are better managed in areas with formal protection, while traditional management based on cultural beliefs results in poorer stock conditions. Interestingly, the high density of shellfishers in mid‐winter (14.4 ind. km−2) decreased markedly towards shorebirds' fuelling period, when they benefit the most from reduced disturbance on the mudflats. Regardless of the season, no direct competition for resources was detected due to differences in targeted sizes. Indirect impacts caused by sediment disturbance during shellfishing were also mostly absent, causing only a small reduction on shorebirds prey density but with no effect on the available biomass.

The Effect of Racial Concordance for Black Patients in Addiction Treatment: A Scoping Review of the Literature.

In the United States, Black people with substance use disorders (SUDs) have less access to treatment and worse treatment outcomes compared to White people. Though systemic racism is the root of these inequities, adapting treatment settings to serve this population may be a pragmatic way to improve access and outcomes. Shared racial identity between a patient and a provider, or racial concordance, is one feature of culturally tailored care that may improve treatment access, experiences, and outcomes for Black people. There is some evidence that racial concordance improves medical treatment for Black patients in non-addiction settings, but it is unknown whether racial concordance affects experiences or outcomes in addiction treatment. We conducted a scoping review guided by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)-to understand the effect of racial concordance on Black patients in addiction treatment. Three reviewers read each title and abstract to identify eligible articles. The inclusion criteria were: (1) Black patients; (2) treatment access, experiences, or outcomes; and (3) patient-provider racial concordance in addiction treatment. One reviewer completed full-text reviews and data extraction. We identified 259 nonduplicate articles and completed full-text reviews of 77 articles. Eleven articles, published between 1971 and 2016, met criteria. Racial concordance was not associated with treatment access or engagement, though it was associated with some positive outcomes including increased perceived provider empathy. Few studies met the review criteria and there were no randomized controlled trials. The studies identified in this review did not provide adequate evidence that racial concordance improved treatment access, experiences, or outcomes for Black patients. Future research should include a wider range of outcome measures, including relational measures (eg, medical trust, discrimination) and examine whether and under what circumstances racial concordance improves experiences and outcomes for Black patients in addiction treatment.

A systematic scoping review on group non-written reflections in medical education

BackgroundMedical education is tasked with shaping how medical students and physicians think, feel and act as professionals, or their Professional Identity Formation (PIF). This process has traditionally rested upon imparting knowledge; integrating sociocultural, professional and organizational expectations and codes of conduct; inculcating program and practice beliefs, values and principles (belief systems); and imbuing shared identities – quintessential elements that, together, comprise the socialization process. Key to supporting this socialization process is reflective practice. However, regnant approaches to mobilizing reflective cycles are faced with resource, personnel and time constraints, hindering efforts to nurture PIF. Group non-written reflections (GNWR) – broadly defined as facilitator-led discussions of shared reflective experiences within groups of learners – may prove to be an effective compromise. To address diverse approaches and a lack of effective understanding, we propose a systematic scoping review (SSR) to map the current use of GNWR in medical training and its role in shaping PIF.MethodsGuided by the Systematic Evidence-Based Approach (SEBA)’s constructivist ontological and relativist epistemological position, this SSR in SEBA searched for articles on GNWR published in PubMed, Embase, Psychinfo, CINAHL, ERIC, ASSIA, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, Open Grey, GreyLit and ProQuest databases. The data found was concurrently analyzed using thematic and direct content analysis. Complementary themes and categories identified were combined, creating the domains that framed the discussion.ResultsOf the 8560 abstracts and 336 full-text articles reviewed, 98 articles were included. The four domains identified were: (1) Indications of use and their value; (2) Structure and how they can be used; (3) Models of reflective practice in GNWR; and (4) Features of communities of practice and the socialisation process.ConclusionThis SSR in SEBA concludes that GNWR does impact PIF when effectively structured and supported. The Krishna-Pisupati Model for PIF platforms a model that explains GNWR’s effects of PIF and advances fourteen recommendations to maximize GNWR use.

Enacting writing differently through a collective liminal experience

ABSTRACT Writing differently presents numerous challenges, impossibilities, and anxieties. While literature underscores the significance of cultivating new writing forms, the actual experience of writing differently remains obscure. This paper seeks to better understand how alternative forms of writing can be enacted. More specifically, it aims to explore how writing differently affects the process of becoming an academiX, by analyzing our collective and individual experiences within Compo·X, a collective of PhD students. We perceive our doctoral experience as a liminal one, a transitional phase that reshapes our identities. We illustrate how our distinct writing practices facilitated the development of a shared identity and an environment for growth in academic world often known for its lack of inclusivity. At the end, we show how writing differently and collective writing helped us to swim against the tide and served as a platform for micro-revolutions within us and academia’s competitive and normative culture and organization.

Mourning and orienting to the future in a liminal occasion: (Re)defining British national identity after Queen Elizabeth II's death.

In this paper, we conceptualize the days of mourning that followed the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. as constituting a liminal occasion, a moment of in-betweenness through which we can explore sense-making in times of transition. How do people navigate through liminal occasions, and are they always transformative? Through a rapid response ethnography (Ninterviews = 64, Nparticipants = 122), we were able to capture the raw moments within which a collective comes together, as part of a national ritual, to transition from 'here' to 'there'. In our data, liminality prompted participants to strategically define British national identity and its future by positioning the Queen as representative of Britishness, her loss as a national identity loss. No longer taken for granted, participants reasserted the value of the monarchy as an apolitical and unifying feature in an otherwise divided society, characterizing the continuity of the institution as an essential part of British identity and society. The analysis illustrates how liminality offers a useful conceptual tool for addressing how temporality and change are negotiated in relation to a shared identity, and how navigating transitional moments brings with it political implications for the future.

The COVID generation: A commentary on how the pandemic altered adolescents' life course.

The pandemic lockdowns interrupted critical developmental experiences especially for adolescents and emerging adults engaged in the challenge of constructing identities. This commentary focuses on four review articles that document both negative and positive consequences of the pandemic on family, peer, school, and community interactions. I argue that worldwide experiences of these interruptions led to a shared generational experience of disconnection and isolation, that, paradoxically, creates a shared generational identity. The COVID-19 generation shares a view of the world as unsafe, unpredictable, and unfair; yet, at the same time, they are perhaps more oriented toward social justice. Generational identities formed at pivotal developmental moments continue to reverberate across the life course. How these formative experiences of the pandemic will continue to influence the life course of the COVID-19 generation remains to be seen.

Unveiling the Subterranean Heritage: A Case Study of the Underground City of Kukës, Albania

Abstract This paper investigates the viability of conserving and repurposing Kukës’ underground city, which was built as a system of civil defence tunnels during the communist era in Albania. Beneath contemporary Kukës, the underground complex, which houses administrative offices and hospitals, is an important but underutilized historical and architectural asset. This study assesses the architectural elements, historical value, and present state of the tunnels using an extensive methodology that includes expert interviews, public consultations, on-site inspections, and archival research. Results highlight the site’s dual significance as a historical landmark and a possible center for innovation and tourism. The research offers strategic proposals for reviving the tunnels to strengthen the local economy, maintain cultural identity, and increase tourist attraction, drawing on foreign case studies. By promoting the inclusion of Kukës’ underground city in larger regional development projects and considering both community goals and pragmatic concerns, the article adds to the current conversations in urban planning and cultural preservation. Sustaining and repurposing Kukës’ underground city has various benefits, including enhanced cultural tourism and economic resurgence that encourage sustainable growth, the paper points out. Still, challenges like deteriorating infrastructure, security concerns, and accessibility issues must be overcome. Urban planners and politicians can apply the research’s practical implications by using it to develop a model for cultural preservation that aligns with modern social and economic goals. A sense of shared identity and legacy among the local community’s members is fostered by the initiative, which has significant social implications as well. The study has some drawbacks, including the need for significant funding and the potential for opposition from groups who do not recognize the advantages of these kinds of initiatives. To summarise, this research highlights the potential of adaptive reuse to bolster the sustainability and resilience of urban ecosystems by offering useful guidance and strategies that may be used to comparable initiatives worldwide.

A social identity approach to crisis leadership.

This paper discusses the importance of a social identity approach to crisis leadership in the context of global crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic and emphasizes the interconnected relationships between leaders and followers. I highlight the role of leaders in fostering unity and shaping citizens' responses especially during crises. I discuss the nature of crises and the significant role of political leaders in guiding societal responses and suggest that crisis leadership extends beyond individual competencies and behaviours and involves a shift from individual to collective responses. With this, I introduce the social identity approach to leadership that views leadership as a social influence process and emphasizes the importance of creating a sense of 'we-ness' among followers. Following from that, crisis leadership involves leaders constructing defining features of collective identity and efficacy to address crises appropriately. However, the value of this approach depends on the careful definition of shared identity boundaries, consideration of diverse experiences within society, the evolving nature of crisis leadership over time and potential consequences of crisis leadership. The sustainability of identity leadership, the dynamics of intergroup and subgroup processes, and the complexities of various crises are identified as areas requiring further research.

Shared identity, an integrative component of Ethiopian federalism: Informing shared society in the Konso‐Alle‐Derashe Area

AbstractThis study explores a shared identity framework for inclusive ethnic relationships under Ethiopian federalism. Decades of the federal experiment show mixed results. On the one hand, it enabled nationalities to exercise extensive rights and freedoms. On the other hand, however, it coincided with pervasive conflicts and state fragility. Contrary to the view that ethnic federalism is fundamentally flawed, this study argues that the problems are epiphenomenons that can be improved. Using an exploratory research approach, the study has taken the Konso‐Derashe‐Alle area to show how shared identity helps to resolve the contradiction in Ethiopian federalism. According to the findings, maturing ethnicity and existing political consciousness suggest ethnic federalism as a viable system for the study area but it should be supplemented by a framework of shared spaces such as the shared society system that capitalizes on the extensive shared sociocultural values of the area to overturn the growing exclusive ethnicity.

Do policy instruments that restrict social identity expression increase economic cooperation?

Recent public and corporate policies restricting social identity expression, such as the face-covering restrictions in many European countries, presume that prominent signals of our social identity differences drive division even when inference about social identity is unaffected. Social identity theory predicts that limiting identity expression could positively or negatively affect how groups interact. We use an experiment to test whether a treatment that bans displaying an identity pin affects cooperation in public goods provision. Our subjects are U.K. residents who were in favor of leaving or remaining in the European Union. Each subject is simultaneously in two different yet economically identical environments that are distinguished only by the social identities of the group members. They play two simultaneous one-shot public goods games, one with others who share their identity (in-group public good), and one with a mixture of Leavers and Remainers (mixed-group public good). The political identities of all subjects and the structure of each group are known by everyone. Our treatments vary whether there exists a ban on displaying a Leaver/Remainer identity pin to others and whether Leavers or Remainers are the majority identity in the mixed groups. We find that banning pinning increases contributions to the mixed group when Leavers are the majority. These increases can be explained by changes in beliefs rather than the notion that shared group identity per se affects behavior. These setting- and identity-specific results suggest that policies designed to promote integration should be examined in the context in which they will be applied.