Cultural and Ethnic Studies

Anthony Giddens identity Project and cultural identity

By modernity, Anthony Giddens is not referring to the modern times that we are currently living in but rather the times that have already been influenced by constant developments that take place daily in the society. This aspect influences some of the choices of people who are in a dilemma about their identity. Additionally, these types of people may also tend to enquire about important stuff about their lives (Giddens 1991, p. 23). Some of the most common questions they may seek to find out about themselves include what to wear, what to do with their free time, how to deal with their personal relationships, or how to behave at the place of work. External influences play a big role on humans’ identity because in most cases, people try to act as they feel and if they would make them fit in the world. The extent to which individuals personally decide on their own identity is compared to when it is imposed on them through the external influences (Brockmeier 2001, p. 69). This aspect is considered more often unlike an awareness matter or consciousness. In the traditional society, the set up social order that would help humans in making decisions about their self-identity is different from the modern world where a person is left to make his or her own decisions. Every day people are faced with rational questions about which they are or how they should be or act; however, as they live in their societies, most of these questions are usually answered whether discursively or through social behavior (Brockmeier 2001, p. 87).

Giddens suggests that the society as a whole is to blame for the kind of individual that person is. This is because humans, just like animals, adapt to the environment. The cultural patterns around the person will have an influence, as the one will try to act as others do or try to be what he or she believes the society would approve of (Czarniawska 1997, p. 58). Additionally, in the traditional world, religion played a major role in influencing people’s choices and behaviors. Over the years, religion has changed, and new types have come up. Some religions may also condone certain life choices and even give room to diverse sexuality, which may lead one as an individual to believe that maybe the act is not so bad after all (Czarniawska 1997, p. 67). Giddens blames the social changes that have taken place in the modern society for the way people choose to act or according to their social behaviors. He stipulates that the change must not have happened on a day, but must be something that has been gradually changing over the past years, and the society may just not have realized it. These changes are fostered by both micro and macro forces.

The Media and Cultural Identity

In the same context, Giddens is of the opinion that the media plays an influential role on people’s relationships, especially in the current world. He states that people are so dependent on the media and often rely on the information that it gives. It could be gossip about certain people, relationships, fictional programs, comedies, or family drama. The media, in this case, has been significant in bringing out the aspect of cultural identity throughout the world. There are various forms of media, which effectively bring out the aspect of cultural identity. Some of the common forms in this sense include advertising, web based, print media, and the audiovisual. In talking about the web based media form, the most common type is the Internet. Generally, the media brings out the aspect of cultural representation, according to Anthony Giddens. One of the most common types that can effectively bring out this aspect is advertising. In most cases, it takes up different forms, and it is also regarded as an essential aspect where people can pass particular information across. Additionally, advertising is a form of communication, which is essential in encouraging, persuading, or even manipulating a particular audience. In this case, the audience includes listeners, readers, viewers, or a particular group. The purpose of this type is to encourage the audience continue with a particular action. Alternatively, through the advertising, humans are able to identify their cultures and behaviors. This is the reason why Anthony Giddens came up with this notion. In his identity project, Giddens says that the world of advertising can also take up various forms, especially in its quest to pass the message across. In this case, the author points out the print media and web based one as some of the aspects which advertising would use. Generally, the world of advertising is broad (Giddens 1991, p. 63).

Print advertising

Print advertising is one of the most powerful forms of media that helps in getting the message across. The growing code switching occurrences phenomenon in advertising has generally led the rise of identity construction study through code switching advertisements. Alternatively, there have been views regarding identity and aspects of its construction with the use of language. Identity in this aspect can be marked through various similarities, representation and differences (Czarniawska 1997, p. 76). Generally, printing advertising plays a big role in today’s society especially in personality identification, which is seen as difficult and problematic in some cases. Two examples of this aspect are magazines and newspapers. Generally, magazines and newspapers are vital in changing people’s ideas and believe about various aspects of life. A magazine for example has various messages, which can determine a person’s perspectives in life. Some magazines can influence an individual either positively or negatively and in doing this, it is shaping the identity of the person. Newspapers are mostly informative. Although they do not directly influence a person’s identity, they play a key role in people’s opinion about certain aspect of life and by doing this; they are generally constructing the identity of the person.

How Identity is constructed

Anthony Giddens states that identity of a person is one’s own reflective understanding of his or her own biography. Additionally, the author claims that self-identity has aspects of continuity (Giddens 1991, 53). In saying this, he meant that this particular aspect could not be completely changed at will, but instead, it is a person’s reflective belief product about his or her own biography. Generally, ‘identity’ depicts the intersection that exists between media study and cultural institutions or the material culture. Additionally, it entails the study of language, representation, and meaning in texts production. The creation of identity is usually theorized via self-relation aspects to societal and culture.

Giddens views a stable identity aspect as a self-identity, which bases upon a person’s life account, influences, and actions, which make sense. Additionally, a person can explain this aspect to various people with a lot of ease. Generally, it explains a person’s past and is oriented upon an anticipated future (Sturken 2009, p. 56). Alternatively, a person’s identity does not reflect behavior, or this aspect is not seen as a very important one. However, it usually depends on the reactions of other people, but generally relies on the capacity or the ability to ensure that a particular narrative keeps on going. An individual’s biography, in case one wants to maintain an interaction, which is regular with other individuals on a daily basis world, cannot be wholly fictive. This aspect can continue to integrate events that happen in the external world. Additionally, it sorts them into going stories.

Historical Emergence of Identity and Individualism

An individual’s self-fixed sense through divine order of things that are fixed can generally define a person’s status, position, or a particular rank. In this case, individualism is the aspect of self-ownership and the ability to have the freedom to express feelings (Hall 1997, p. 78). It relates to identity in that identity in this perspective is connected through the ability to reason and rational processes.

Identity as a Project

Generally, Anthony Giddens viewed self-identity aspect as a project. In this case, he referred to it as the changes that occur in humans’ social life and in-world experiences (Sturken 2009, p. 98). Giddens states that the mechanisms of self-identity are shaped depending on the aspects of modernity. Other aspect, which defines identity, includes reorganization of space, time, disembodying mechanisms expansion and radical doubts. The aspect of self-identity among people entails uncertainties, trust, choices, risks, distant happenings of local life influences. The importance of mediated experiences depend biographical narratives and lifestyle choices (Giddens 1991, p. 33).

Approaches

Generally, there are two approaches which are dominant with regards to identity aspect by Anthony Giddens. They are essentialist and interactionist, also known as social constructionist.

In this case, essentialism entails the aspect where identity is generally a person’s essence; thus, fixed set of values, practices, and ideals remain to be defining characteristics. In most cases, this aspect would presume that the universe has a way of being a person, be it man or woman, black or white, homosexual or heterosexual (Berger 1974, p. 78).

The social constructionism or social interactionism is generally the theory of knowledge regarding the communication and sociology fields, which examine jointly, constructed understandings and world’s understanding. This aspect also assumes that a particular understanding, importance, and meaning are usually developed together. The social constructionism states that they are not separated within an individual, but in most cases, they are coordinated with other people. Some of the most important elements to the social constructionist theory are human beings assumptions that they can rationalize their own experiences by the aspect of creating social world model. It also checks on how this particular model functions. Additionally, there is the element of language being an essential system, which helps human beings in constructing realities (Woodward 1997, p. 45) The social interactionism theory also closely relates with the symbolic interactionism aspect/theory. In this case, the symbolic interactionism entails sociological perspectives, which are influential in various areas of this particular discipline.

The aspect of media in relation to these theories is relevant. In this case, the aspect of media (internet and advertisements) entails the general interplay that exists between sound, images, and technology. The idea behind online community is regarded as a social construct. The two theories encompass discursive communities’ aspects and social realities. Additionally, they portray the public sphere and anonymity in interactions.

The aspect of media and, in this case, advertisements, can categorically be related to the theory of social constructionism (Giddens 1991, p. 49). Social constructionism, being a theory of knowledge regarding the communication and sociology fields, examines jointly constructed understandings and world’s understanding, generally shares almost a similar notion with the aspect of advertising. These two aspects talk about communication aspect and the sociology field. Just like the social constructionism, advertisements also try to get an understanding with its viewers or listeners. The catch behind an advertisement model is an understanding of concepts and ideas.

References

Berger, J 1974, Ways of Seeing. London, Penguin

Brockmeier, J., & Carbaugh, D. A. 2001, Narrative and identity: studies in autobiography, self and culture. Philadelphia, Pa, Benjamin.

Czarniawska, B 1997, Narrating the organization: dramas of institutional identity. Chicago, Univ. of Chicago Press.

Dolby, N. E. 2001, Constructing race: youth, identity, and popular culture in South Africa. Albany, NY, State Univ. of New York Press.

Eagleton, T 1996, Literary Theory: An Introduction. Chapter 3- Sttucturalism and Semiotics. Oxford Blackwell; especially pages 79-85

Hall, S 1992, The Question of Cultural Identity in Stuart Hall & Tony McGrew (eds) Modernity and its Futures. London: Polity

Hall, S (ed) 1997, Representations: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices. London, Sage: Introduction and Chapter

Sturken, M & Cartwright, L 2009, Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press; Chapter 1

Woodward, K 1997, Identity and difference, London: Sage