You can add to the archive by posting a comment, below.
To start, here's the entry from the Oxford English Dictionary:
1. a. The quality or condition of being the same in substance, composition, nature, properties, or in particular qualities under consideration; absolute or essential sameness; oneness.
absolute identity, that asserted in the metaphysical doctrine of Schelling that mind and matter are phenomenal modifications of the same substance.
b. with an and pl. An instance of this quality.
{dag}c. Recurrence of the same; repetition. Obs.
2. a. The sameness of a person or thing at all times or in all circumstances; the condition or fact that a person or thing is itself and not something else; individuality, personality.
personal identity (in Psychology), the condition or fact of remaining the same person throughout the various phases of existence; continuity of the personality.
b. Personal or individual existence. rare. ?Obs.
{dag}3. ‘The self-same thing.’ Obs. rare.
4. Alg. a. The equality of two expressions for all values of the literal quantities: distinctively denoted by the sign {ident}. b. An equation expressing identity, an identical equation (IDENTICAL 4a).
5. The condition of being identified in feeling, interest, etc. rare.
6. Logic. Law or Principle of Identity, the principle expressed in the identical proposition A is A. Also attrib., as identity formula, relation, sentence.
7. (old) identity: a person long resident or well known in a place. N.Z. and Austral.
8. Math. a. An element of a set which, if combined with any element by a (specified) binary operation, leaves the latter element unchanged.
b. A transformation that gives rise to the same elements as those to which it is applied.
9. S. Afr. (See quot. 1924.)
10. a. attrib. and Comb. with the meaning ‘that serves to identify the holder or wearer’, as identity bracelet, card, certificate, disc, papers, patch; also identity element Math. = IDENTITY 8a; identity matrix Math., a matrix in which all the elements of the principal diagonal are one and the remainder zero, so that its product with another matrix gives that matrix; identity parade = identification parade.
b. Philos. attrib. and Comb. as identity doctrine, sign, thesis; identity theory, the materialist theory that physiological and mental perceptions are identical; hence identity theorist, a person professing belief in the identity theory.
c. Belonging or relating to identity (sense 2), as in identity crisis, a phase of varying severity undergone by an individual in his need to establish his identity in relation to his associates and society as part of the process of maturing. Also transf.
DRAFT ADDITIONS SEPTEMBER 2007
identity, n.
* identity theft n. the dishonest acquisition of personal information in order to perpetrate fraud, typically by obtaining credit, loans, etc., in someone else's name; fraud perpetrated in this way; (also) an instance of this.
In quot. 1964 in the context of espionage rather than fraud for monetary gain.
49 comments:
http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2010/02/18/open_forum_analyzes_identity.aspx
"Black Caucus forum analyzes African American identity" by Christine O’Brien
In the United States establishing one's ethnic identity seems imperative to understanding self. It has become increasingly acceptable to embrace cross-ethnic and cross-cultural identities. At the Black Caucus hosted at HUB-Robeson Center many black students were forced to ask, "Am I Black?" The one thing most students could agree on is that they didn't just embrace the notion of being "black." In fact, many found the term to be a generalization. As emphasized at the caucus, many people in our generation are choosing to embrace various identities. It is becoming more acceptable to recognize the multiple communities someone may identify with.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/09/world/europe/09france.html
"French ‘Identity’ Debate Leaves Public Forum" by Steven Erlanger
Need for a national identity in France is growing as the immigrant flow into the nation increases. What sparked the debate in France to establish a French 'identity' was controversy concerning Muslim women wearing full veils that cover the face. While framed as an issue of security, many felt the debate to be one of 'us' versus 'them.' It's hardly a coincidence that after this debate was taken off the congressional floor the Prime Minister of France decided to institute symbolic measures for the sake of strengthening the 'French identity.' But with language used by the Prime Minister such as, "The emphasis will be put on the respect for the values of the republic ... notably the principle of equality between men and women,” one cannot help but wonder whether or not this is a rhetorical attack against French-Muslims and new Muslim immigrants.
Anzaldua, Gloria. "To(o) Queer the Writer." The Gloria Anzaldua Reader. Ed. AnaLouise Keating. Durham: Duke University Press. 167.
Even though identity labels of sexuality, race, class and gender have been used to organize groups of people against repression, oftentimes they have also worked to homogenize people within those groups. Anzaldua confronts the tension of identity labels when she writes, "to put each in a separate compartment is to put them in contradiction or in isolation when in actuality they are all constantly in a shifting dialogue/relationship--the ethnic is in conversation with the academic and so on" (167). To claim one identity is to either deny another part of oneself or lessen the value of another identity one may claim. Alzaldua's reflections on identity are in the service of decolonizing identity categories that may only represent the white, middle class members of a group (such as the example of "lesbian" she uses on page 167). The more effort that’s put into vocalizing difference and recognizing ambivalence between identities one may claim is to deconstruct a homogenizing project that silences the perspectives of people of color.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/lt_argentina_dirty_war_children
"Argentine stolen at birth, now 32, learns identity" by MICHAEL WARREN
My first thought when I saw this headline was, so for 32 years Abel Madariaga has been roaming the earth with NO IDENTITY to speak of? It's funny how we, as a society, need confirmation of who were are supposed to be. In the article the man is quoted as saying "For the first time, I know who I was. Who I am," the young man said, still marveling at his new identity: Francisco Madariaga Quintela, a name he only learned last week." I guess my question is who did he think he was before. There are many variables that will and have not changed since the reunion. And if never told that he was kidnapped, how would you know any different? But perhaps that is how strong the need for an identity is. Perhaps without identity, like this young man, you will naturally feel lost and without purpose.
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/bodyart/
American Museum of Natural History, "Body Art: Marks of Identity"
As Kaplan argues in the keywords essay about the word identity,"identity has long carried the meaning of relational and mutable identifications, actuated either by the individual's chosen identifications or by others who label individuals or groups based on characteristics and behaviors that seem shared."
In the art exhibit description the question is asked, "What messages do these practices carry? How have they been used to identify us as individuals or as members of a group?" This exhibit speaks to the human need to be identified with a group; to be a part of something. Art is one way in which a group of people can be identified as belonging to one another, belonging to a peoples. I'd argue that sometime such groups are chosen by individuals, however sometimes as a society we label a particular shared symbol of status as an identifying label of belonging.
'Identity quest in "Prodigal Sons"'
"Marc has long been preoccupied, naturally enough, with seeking out his real family and real identity."
A movie is being made about a man who becomes a woman and is trying to discover his true identity and the way his family and those around him react to his decision, and his life change. It is an interesting idea that the way a person chooses to depict their identity should matter to those around them, and that spectators think they have the power to decide how an individual should perceive themselves and portray themselves to the world. Also, is the movie made more entertainment purposes? Is the movie made to fight ideas of classification? Who is the director wanting the audience to sympathize with- the person who was once and man, and chose to become a woman, or the people around the central character witnessing this transformation?
the last blog's url:
http://trueslant.com/alexkafka/2010/02/28/identity-quests-in-prodigal-sons/
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/General+News/49716/NY+Family+Outraged+Over+Hospital+Identity+Mix-Up.html
"A Brooklyn hospital is being forced to answer questions Saturday night after a case of mistaken identity, and now the family is pointing to the error as grounds for a possible lawsuit."
A family was called by the hospital and was told their relative had died. Actually, another woman died, but she had a similar sounding first name. The hospital is being sued because of emotional duress on the family and negligence. Identity is important to people even when it is not their own. A switch in identity can happen easily, but seems to have catastrophic effects. Though the woman in the hospital who had the identity mix up occur to her, did not experience any emotional or physical change from the incident, the idea of her identity as a deceased woman seems to have been very troublesome for the family. It does not have to be one's own identity to still be important to a person.
http://splashpage.mtv.com/2010/02/25/secret-identity-grading-the-captain-america-contenders/
"SECRET IDENTITY: Grading The 'Captain America' Contenders"
A Captain America movie is being produced, and there is a pool of actors that are being auditioned for the part. People have mixed feelings about the choices. With a lot of roles, especially those of comic book and cartoon heroes, the actor who plays the realistic version is crucial. Audiences seem to create very set ideas of who the character is, and how he or she should act. The actor has a lot of standards and expectations to uphold to make audiences agree that he fits the idea of how the character should be. He has to mold himself to satisfy others' expectations of him.
http://www.usmagazine.com/moviestvmusic/news/carly-simon-reveals-identity-of-youre-so-vain-man-1970241
"Carly Simon Reveals Identity of 'You're So Vain' Man?"
This song is really important because the lyrics and the mysterious man it was written about have become a huge part of pop culture. Including myself, people have made guesses at who Simon was singing about, but with the identity kept as a secret, it seems people were able to form their own interpretations of the songs and the meaning behind her words. Now that the identity of the man has been made public, the song may change for listeners, and may be more or less valued.
http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/articles/2010/03/04/news/nation_and_world/doc4b90255b80635033423858.txt
"Embattled Jewish Agency To Promote Identity Over Aliyah" by Gal Beckerman
The concept of being Jewish has long endured the question: Is being Jewish a religious affiliation or ethnic identity? In this article, it seems Beckerman implies that the Jewish Agency sees Judaism as not only a religious practice but a way of life and identity. On several occasions the term identity is used in the same capacity you would find the term used for African-American or Asian-American. For example, "Russian Jews should be the ones pushing this particular approach to identity building" or "in the United States providing Jewish-identity education through a variety of ways." It seems identity is not simply the ways in which you see yourself as ethnically, but also the ways in which you associate religiously (if you are Jewish, because I don't feel the same use of the term identity is used in reference to people of other faiths).
http://industry.bnet.com/technology/10005885/xbox-online-allows-sexual-expression-–-others-to-follow-suit/
"XBox Gamers Can Now Express Sexual Orientation/Identity; Time For That Everywhere" by Damon Brown
Mark Whitten, General Manager of the XBox Live online community, stated that the move to allow participants to include their race, nationality, and now sexual orientation, is an attempt to, "to create a place where people can safely enjoy all of the ways to interact on our service ... without fear of discrimination or harassment." In a world in which there is an increasing interest in joining a virtual community, the desire to be inclusive of all peoples playing is key. But I am somewhat conflicted about XBox Live's move to be inclusive of information like race and sexual orientation. While on one hand I see the benefits of trying to appear inclusive, the point of being part of a virtual world is to be something you aren't in real life. And how does sexual orientation play any role in what your character looks like or acts like. It seems to me to be a false attempt to be inclusive in order to attract new players by praying on those that have felt jaded or not included by the gaming world.
Hall, Stuart. "Old and New Identities, Old and New Ethnicities." Culture, Globalization, and the World System: Contemporary Auditions for the Representation of Identity. Ed. Anthony D. King. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1997.
Feldman, Keith P. Class Lecture. Humanities Methods in Ethnic Studies. University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA. 3 February 2010.
Stuart Hall describes identity as a positioning rather than an essence (Feldman). Conceptualized in this way, identity is not something "whole" or "true" inside oneself but is actually informed and shaped by the outside world, which makes identifications more than personal descriptions; instead, claims to identity are political because of the meanings they may represent. The identity labels that are in existence have all acquired particular meanings, whether they are interpreted as "good" or "bad" or "neutral" is somewhat irrelevant, not only because such meanings can shift and change but also because no matter what, they will have some meaning. As Hall writes, “you have to be positioned somewhere in order to speak. Even if you are positioned in order to unposition yourself, even if you want to take it back, you have to come into language to get out of it…That is the paradox of meaning” (51). To think of one's identity as a political positioning instead of a representation of one's "true" self is a decolonizing project, because it has the ability to redefine or reinterpret an identity that has socially constructed meanings and deploy it with intention, as opposed to merely being a representation of a label. Identities are not representative of fixed qualities or characteristics but are shaped through discourses that vary by the position of the narrator.
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2130268727151999750&postID=2310688288730717207
"Jobs + Identity: Who You Are vs. What You Do" by Farai Chideya.
People in the United States often describe themselves by the jobs they hold, and one's occupation often becomes an integral part of one's identity. This blog entry compares the role of one's work in individual identity formation in the United States to other countries, but also questions how the current economy (with many people losing their jobs) will affect people's identity. The author hypothesizes that many might feel grief, confusion, or even liberation from work's prominent role in identity. A disengagement from work based identity, whether forced (by being laid off) or by choice, is evidence to the way that identity is vulnerable or susceptible to change that is outside individual control. The example of losing one's job also points to the fact that some identities are thought to be "taken away", reaffirming a false notion that a person's identity can be broken down and categorized into different parts of oneself as opposed to being interrelated and interdependent.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/farai-chideya/jobs-identity-who-you-are_b_489179.html
Sorry, this was the link for the article:
"Jobs + Identity: Who You Are vs. What You Do" by Farai Chideya.
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/transracial-adoption-america-today/story?id=9914150&page=1
"Transracial Adoption Can Provide a Loving Family and an Identity Struggle" by Ron Claiborne and Hanna Siegel
This article is about "identity struggles" that occur when white families adopt Black children. According to the article, many Black children suffer identity struggles, presumably because they are not raised by or are around people that "look like them", as the article writes. The article seems to emphasize that having a clearly understood racial identity is an important part of growing up and understanding oneself; the article seems to be saying that healthy identity formation occurs when one can identify with others that appear to be racially similar to oneself. Throughout the entire article, "identity struggles" are never described as "racial identity struggles", conflating the many facets of identity as being entirely about racial identification. The prominence of race in individual identity formation in this piece silences other identities adopted Black children may have. The keyword "culture" is clearly tied to this article because the word is deployed throughout it, and white families that adopt Black children are even said to be committing "cultural genocide". It is interesting to think of the ways that race, culture, and identity are in constant relation to each other.
"Queer/Armenian, Split Identity: International Women’s Month" by Maral Bavakan
http://www.ianyanmag.com/?p=2143
This article is a quick autobiography of the life grapplings of Maral Bavakan growing up in NYC as young, Armenian, and lesbian. She writes about the tribulations she faced as an Armenian immigrant living in New York City. Fighting the inside/outside complex of "too Armenian" and "too American." But she also talks about the intersection of that struggle and the struggle of discovery her own sexual identity. In a tradition, she claims that is steeped in heternomativity, she found growing up Armenian and queer hard to reconcile. But as she became older she accepted and proudly claimed labels such as queer. Ironically however she states, "I would rather not have to be face to face with a system that creates categories to separate people." Much like Anzuldua, Bavakan appreciates how liberating yet suffocating labels can be. She seems careful to not squander self-realization with self-identification. For Bavakan, identity is important. For Bavakan identity is not a label rather a grasp of self and sense of comfort achieved with self.
"In Texas Curriculum Fight, Identity Politics Leans Right" by Sam Tanehaus
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/21/weekinreview/21tanenhaus.html
The Texas Board of Education recently approved a social science curriculum which many argue inserts a conservative slant into public education. Some of the Board's recommendations were "that Jefferson, who coined the expression “separation of church and state,” be struck from the list of world thinkers who inspired 18th- and 19th-century revolutions," and that "students be instructed in the individual right to keep and bear arms; and an individual’s protection of private property from government takings.” This seems to be an imposition of conservative identity politics on to the voters of tomorrow. At the point even impressionably children are having such blatant political ideology shoved down their throat we have to ask whether or not we have gone too far in pushing political agendas? Identity, including political identity, needs to be established organically. Shoveling heaps of political thoughts and beliefs onto the desks of America's youth is not appropriate and should not be tolerated.
3/26/10, IMDB: “Identity (2003)”: This movie is about a person that suffers from dissociative identity disorder, which has led to that person having ten personalities and how a psychiatrist tries to bring out one of the identities to figure out if he is a murderer.
Analysis: The manner in which identity is used in the plot is to determine a characteristic of a person to determine a condition of which that person is. This movie fails to give a good description of what identity should or could be; it is just described as something that a person embodies but not necessary is self-reflective.
News Themes and Ethnic Identity: Los Angeles Times News Reports of Vietnamese, Black and Hispanic Gangs. “This paper examined how Vietnamese, black, and Hispanic gang activities are presented by Los Angeles times reporters. “
Analysis: Some of the other keywords that are found in this article, aside from identity is culture. The manner in which culture is described is as if it something that only some people has and that a person must be an active participant in a group of people to have culture. However, it should be taken into account that to understand which culture a person has, a person must identify as being something and both words are closely tied together.
“What Israeli identity crisis? Israel deserves praise for maintaining democratic principles in the face of continuing hostility from its own Arab population.”
Analysis: This article is about the problem that Israel has been blamed to have by trying to be a Jewish and democratic state. Identity is usually representative of characteristics an individual might have and will provide that person with uniqueness. In this article, Israel is treated as an individual and as one entity.
“Los Angeles Times examines medical identity theft problems, risks”. The Los Angeles Times examined medical identity fraud, in which individuals use the names and medical records of others to obtain health care.
Analysis: Identity usually describes what a person identifies with. Its also something that is subjective and objective but that is supposed to be defined by an individual. However, identity theft is understood as if something stole the manner in which a person a identifies themselves as. Identity is subjective; a person’s true identity should not be able to be stolen.
A Case of Mistaken Identity? News Accounts of Hacker, Consumer, and Organizational Responsibility for Compromised Digital Records.” The computer hacker is one of the most vilified figures in the digital era, but to what degree are organizations actually responsible for compromised personal records? To examine the role of organizational behavior in privacy violations, there was an analyzation of 589 incidents. we analyze 589 incidents of compromised data between 1980 and 2006. Options for public policy oversight are discussed.”
Again, identity is mixed in this article with other keywords, such as organization. The way certain words are used sometimes in common language is not always the appropriate meaning of the word. Although identity may seem to be something that an individual uses to characterize him or herself, it cannot be stolen if it is something that a person actually contains.
The Criminalization of the Latino Identity Makes Fighting Gangs That Much Harder
This article is about the criminalization of Latinos being a part of their culture, which has thus glorified some aspects of being against the law.
Analysis: This article uses culture with identity. Identity is usually understood as to what or how a person identifies somebody or something but what should be noted is that Latinos in this article are perceived as being part of a culture that has illegal intentions. This is a false understanding of Latinos and in regards to this article, there needs to be a decolonization of the Latino identity if it is perceived that many Latinos glorify violence and criminal activity.
3/16/2010, Banner Graphic: “This article is about a body that was found by a person walking in a wooded area, being identified as Brazil man.”
Analysis: Identity is usually in reference to the identification of a person or the characteristics that leads to the identification of a person. Identification is also understood for something that is accompanied with existence. Thus there is a possible problem if the word identity is used to refer to the identification of a dead person since they no longer exist as living human beings.
Software engineer reveals his identity: this article is about an software engineer that has produced software that make it possible for citizens in China to evade internet blocking and censorship.
Analysis: Citizenship is important for this individual, as it has allowed him to hide his identity in interviews and from being charged by the Chinese government. Thus, in this article, citizenship is a keyword that is linked to the other keyword (identity).
Think Verbisual: Verbal Identity’s Role in a Visual Identity System. This article is about how people process words and images and how an identity system has two halves, a visual half and a verbal half.
Analysis: In the article, it states that Identity systems are meant to change perceptions, and perceptions happen across the senses and the centers of your consumer’s brain. I take this to mean that the manner, in which a person identifies themselves and other things, can change through the interpretation of words and images. Nevertheless, the description of obtaining or declaring identity by merely visual and verbal methods excludes other possible means of forming identity, such as hearing.
Sugababes member to make history with identity lawsuit?: Keisha Buchanan, founding member of girl group the Sugababes, is suing the group over its name !
Analysis: This article covers the battle over the possession of an identity. A dilemma that arises out of this understanding of identity as it used in the article is should an identity even be possessed meaning its ontological objective rather than it being ontologically subjective? I assume that this can go either way but what is also important to note is that identity does not only have to be reflective of a person or of people, but it can also be something that represents a person or group of people.
Sugababes member to make history with identity lawsuit?: Keisha Buchanan, founding member of girl group the Sugababes, is suing the group over its name !
http://www.examiner.com/x-6604-Urban-Pop-Examiner~y2010m3d1-Sugababes-member-to-make-history-with-identity-lawsuit-
Analysis: This article covers the battle over the possession of an identity. A dilemma that arises out of this understanding of identity as it used in the article is should an identity even be possessed meaning its ontological objective rather than it being ontologically subjective? I assume that this can go either way but what is also important to note is that identity does not only have to be reflective of a person or of people, but it can also be something that represents a person or group of people.
Florida Gators football news: John Brantley, offense shaping identity
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2010-03-26/sports/os-florida-football-news-0327-20100326_1_offensive-coordinator-steve-addazio-florida-gators-football-john-brantley
The Florida Gators football team talks about how they shape their identity every year with the active members of the team, and without players because of injuries. Each year, the team has a different personality because different groupings of players provide varying packages of assets.
This year, 'Addazio said every day creating the winning formula is "really on my mind."' How do the players that are out of this season due to injuries perceive this notion. The team hopes to create a winning formula without their participation. What is their value to the team then? How do they think they help the team's identity if the people in charge of the team expect to win without them?
Also, this article shows that something can have an identity without being a living organism or human being. A body of people, animals, even inanimate objects can present an identity.
Silicon Valley man infamous to Chinese censors comes forward
http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_14766284?source=rss
Someone's identity is shaped by the information they can access. A government can prevent any parts of someone's identity from forming by making internet sites inaccessible to its citizens. This gives the government power and control to shape the identity of each individual and their country's mindset and way of life.
Once citizens of oppressed countries realize knowledge is being kept from them; the country is maintaining its citizens' ignorance, citizens will begin revolting against the government to access information a lot of people of the world take for granted. This is where the software created by Alan Huang is involved. The identity of the government will be shaped the people. Identity can be formed by fear and/or desperation.
Interesting quote:
"The consortium provides free encryption software that also allows Internet users to switch IP addresses multiple times a second on a group of dedicated proxy servers scattered around the world, frustrating government blocking or surveillance in any country."
The Plot to Change the Identity of al-Quds Has Been Approved by Washington.
http://www.hamsayeh.net/hamsayehnet_iran-international%20news1062.htm
The Iranian government is working to change the identity of the city al-Quds (Jerusalem,) from Muslim based to Christian based. This is a similar issue to the control over Kosovo. The city maintained a Serbian identity, and now is part of Albanian territory. Wars have been fought over this issue. Wars will most likely be fought over the conversion of al-Quds' identity.
Why does the Iranian government want to change the city's identity? Perhaps to make more of the country Christian based and fit in more with U.S. values?
Why does Washington D.C. have enough power to decide whether a city's identity can be changed, if the city is not within U.S. borders?
'Community': Crash Course in Comedy and Identity
http://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2010/03/community-crash-course-in-comedy-and-identity/38079/
Characters in tv shows contemplate and explore what identities are and their value. The value of identity is an issue a lot of people discuss, apparently so much so, that producers of a tv show can base an evening episode on it for the mass population across the country. Making the idea funny allows more people to relate to the things that make up identity. Comedy allows the subject to become more familiar and approachable.
Other View: Our identity crisis is worsening
http://www.record-eagle.com/otherview/local_story_085232025.html
Liberals and conservatives have purposely divided themselves to discuss who and what should be included in the nation's textbooks; what is important, and what children should grow up believing represents them as an American. The point that liberals and conservatives provide different perspectives on what should be part of the American Identity proves their is a lot of wiggle room for shaping one's self-perception. Students should be allowed to create their own identity. I think many adults refuse to believe children are independent beings and do not need to be controlled by the biased beliefs of adults. Children should be allowed to shape their own identity. Regardless of what is in and what is absent from school textbooks, students will continue to ask questions, explore loopholes in textbooks that do not make sense. They will continue to follow their own path. The issue with knowledge in textbooks is that is not always the most accurate information. If one things is in the textbook, something else is left out. Textbooks should be made honestly, and be completely inclusive. This technique will make our challenge of figuring out what an American identity is, slightly less confusing. Students will then have the power to pick and choose what they want to use in their individual identity.
"As Americans, we have a shared history. But our self-identity is anything but shared. We argue constantly over what it means to be an American -- something that common sense tells us should be fairly settled."
"Just one more example, perhaps, to remind us that this identity crisis is not only about our political leaders, it's about ourselves."
The anonymous quote above was posted by me.
Hispanic who stole identity to land local jobs gets probation
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/crime/hispanic-who-stole-identity-to-land-local-jobs-gets-probation-622233.html
A person has to have an identity to be considered a person. The identity allows the individual to work, and to have power. Without an identity, the individual does not exist in "the system." The person is lost. It is illegal to take someone's identity, which turns identity into an object. An identity can be physically taken from its owner. Acosta took someone's identity and did well for himself. He took an identity of someone who was unemployed and managed to obtain two jobs. His employers considered him good at his jobs. If someone who steals an identity can do better with it than the original owner, should they be allowed to keep the identity?
3/28/10, YubaNet."Equality California Calls for Addition of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity in 2020 Census." http://yubanet.com/usa/Equality-California-Calls-for-Addition-of-Sexual-Orientation-Gender-Identity-in-2020-Census.php
Being able to make a claim towards predetermined identity categories remains a pressing issue for many civil rights activists. In this article,being able to claim sexual and gender identities on the census would grant visibility to the state, which is needed to better serve their needs. It is understandable that people desire a space to express the identities they feel represent them, especially since there has been (and continues to be) institutional silencing of "othered" populations. However, the way the census is structured impedes decolonial work in re-conceptualizing identity because it requires checking a box next to a predetermined label that was constructed by someone else. If the 2020 Census included questions regarding sexual orientation and gender identity, would they be split into certain categories or would they be fill in the blank? The same tensions that exist in determining racial categories on the census could also apply to the sexual orientation and gender identity, which could continue to limit the ways people express their identities to the state.
“Identity, as much as citizenship, challenge of democracy” by Niklaus Steiner
(http://www.thedurhamnews.com/2010/03/24/201285/identity-as-much-as-citizenship.html)
In this article, Niklaus Steiner explores the relationship between immigration and national identity in the United States. According to Steiner, the major challenge for a country where democracy is central is to “bring about a sense of identity and of affinity among its citizens – while at the same time exercising respect for the rights of minorities.” Though democracy aims to represent a fair and collective voice, it does transpire without complications. Steiner points out that immigrants inevitably bring their cultures with them, which makes the assimilation process slower and our national “identity” inadequate. As mentioned in lecture, identity is not an essence but a positioning. Thus, national identity is fluid and constantly changing.
“18-24 year olds most at risk of ID theft” by Allison Klein
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/16/AR2010031604209.html)
In this article, Allison Klein addresses a recent survey that found that 18-24 year olds are most at risk of having their identities stolen because “it takes them longer to figure out that they have been defrauded -- meaning their information is compromised for a longer period.” In this particular case, identity is directly connected to how an individual is tracked by the state (e.g. social security number, credit cards, etc.). Thus, a citizen’s “identity” must first be represented within a state or system in order for it to be considered legitimate. Credit cards—which are a form of identification—leave behind a consumer trail which can be linked one's social identity.
“The White Right to Call Me ‘Nigger’” by Leonce Gaiter
(http://www.opednews.com/articles/The-White-Right-to-Call-Me-by-Leonce-Gaiter-100321-539.html)
This article addresses the myth of a “post-racial” America as proven by the recent racist remarks made by tea partiers against Rep. John Lewis at a Tea Party gathering. Discontent with the Democratic Party and their policies, tea partiers shouted the word “nigger” at Lewis. Gaiter believes this to be a step in backwards: “[j]ust yesterday it seems the white mainstream journalistic world was all a tizzy about "post-racial" America in which we could finally live King's Dream (MLK whitewashed to the patron saint of Uncle Remus' adoration of the goodness of white folks), and the majority could finally deem itself free of any racist taint ("Black? Oh! I didn't notice!")--sort of like priests absolving themselves for their penchant for pedophilia.” The identity politics of tea partiers is shaped by their strong dislike and disapproval of president Obama. However, as stated in the article, conflict goes beyond public affairs. By shouting the word “nigger,” tea partiers aimed to threaten Lewis while also declaring their (white) identities as superior.
4/7/10, OCLNN: "UC Irvine Course Explores White Racial Identity." http://www.oclnn.com/orange-county/2010-04-07/education/uc-irvine-course-explores-white-racial-identity
This news article describes how a class on white racial identity at UC Irvine has experienced a spike in interest and enrollment following the racist events that have taken place over the past few months on various UC campuses. The professor of the class describes the course as an exploration of racial privilege and "engage members of the dominant racial group in the struggle to bring about racial justice." Clearly, identity in this context refers to the ideas, preconceptions, and lived realities of people based on their race or racial identification. I think that the fact that "whiteness studies" has emerged as a critical examination of what it means to be white in society, as opposed to being an unexplored "norm" or standard of being, is in the service of decolonizing the humanities. After all, studying "white identity" is an attempt to deconstruct an often un-interrogated state of being to illuminate its effect on life chances and opportunities in relation to the experiences of people of color.
Kakutani, Michiko. "Seeking Identity, Shaping a Nation's." New York Times.4/7/10.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/06/books/06book.html
Oftentimes, I think we tend to conceive of identity as something constructed and shaped internally as a personal understanding of oneself. However, conceptions of one's identity are often formed by other people's perception of you. In this example, Barack Obama's identity is being shaped and molded by the author of "The Bridge". The author writes that Obama gave "himself instruction on how to be black", commenting on that one's racial identity is not innate, but is often learned from society. However, this is rife with tension because what does it mean to "learn to be black", and what factors supposedly shape a "black" identity? This conception of identity is far too simplistic and not thoroughly interrogated in this review piece; its simplistic use obstructs the idea that identity is fragmented, complex and always in transformation. It's interesting that this review piece also makes a claim that Obama's search for his racial identity is actually similar to shaping the identity of America, as "the black freedom struggle defines not just the African-American experience, but the American experience itself." Perhaps because issues of race have been so critical since the founding of America, the author felt that he could conflate the black freedom struggle to define the "American experience". Once again, this seems very simplistic and full of tension between recognizing that different people have different lives experiences, but that these experiences can all be enveloped under the guise of a resolved multicultural America.
4/11/10, Columbus Local News. "'Identity' on display at Concourse Gallery through May 14."
http://www.snponline.com/articles/2010/04/11/multiple_papers/news/alluagalle_20100409_0437pm_1.txt
Art is one medium used by some to communicate an understanding of their identity. This article describes an art exhibit that will be displaying two artists work on "identity" in Upper Arlington, Ohio. Although the article doesn't give much description of their work, it seems like both artists worked to use multiple and varied mediums to produce one piece, as if to show that identity is multidimensional and sometimes disjointed. One artist incorporates items or things she found into her pieces, which I thought was an interesting reflection on the ways that notions of one's own identity are often "found" in cultural productions, like books, magazines, movies, fine arts, or even in other people. I don't think that these artists are attempting to provide a definition of identity that is resolved or feigns "completeness", and in this way I think that the utilization of art to represent identity is in the service of decolonizing the humanities because it doesn't attempt to provide absolute answers to questions, but rather leaves meanings to individual interpretation. If we think of these art pieces as mere representations of something internal to the artist's sense of self, it provokes one to think of the ways that self-conceptions are also means of representation in a sense. Our identifications are always appropriated from a language that we are perpetually bound to in order to have visibility and political power in society.
4/11/10, Times LIVE. "Internet houses brave new world of identity."
http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/article396680.ece/Internet-houses-brave-new-world-of-identity
It seems to be common practice for histories to be erased, forgotten, or diluted of meaning, but what affect do histories have on our identities? The author of this article writes that young, white South Africans have much more freedom to choose their identities because they do not have to live under the doctrines of white supremacy and apartheid. As the author writes, "people formerly and currently classified as white can try on many marvelous new skin-suits and identities," and some young white South Africans have "tried to become more 'porous' and, in so doing, find a 'beingness' not with a singular self but with what she terms 'multiple intactnesses'." Although it is liberating and productive to conceive of identity as porous and selves as multiple, I wonder if the horizon for identity formation is just as "wide open" for Blacks as it is whites in South Africa. In America, white ethnics often utilized white supremacy to assimilate and distance themselves from the category of other. In South Africa, it seems like the practice is to distance young whites from a recent history of white supremacy so that they do not have to feel "burdened" by the past, but forgetting histories is a very dangerous idea that facilitates a move towards damaging neoliberalist conceptions of everyone's circumstance being a result of their individual efforts. I also wonder if this new climate in South Africa means that whites can more freely appropriate from other cultures without regard in order to form a "unique", multifaceted identity.
4/11/10. CNN Opinion.
Ines Hernandez-Avila "To Native Americans, naming is identity."
http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/04/09/hernandez-avila.who.am.i/
This opinion piece by a UC Davis professor, Ines Hernandez-Avila, notes the importance of naming when referring to identity, and differentiates between how she thinks of her own identity and how she would want others to identify her. This reveals a tension between the "internal" self and the "external" self, and made me think of W.E.B. DuBois idea of double consciousness. I interpret double-consciousness to mean the negotiation of one's identity through your own understandings of yourself and through the ways others see or understand who you are, which is something done both consciously and unconsciously. Ines Hernandez-Avila writes that although she conceives of her identity as being "a radiant synthesis of all that my consciousness, my awareness, my spirit, heart, body, intellect, will have perceived in this life on this Earth," she wants others to identify her as "Nimipu/Tejana" which addresses both where she is from and who "her people are". I think it is difficult for those of us in the United States to not identify ourselves by race or ethnicity because of the power that racial categorization has had (and still has) in this country. I don't know if it is a decolonizing action to identify oneself by race or ethnicity, but perhaps defining your own identity by choosing which labels you want to represent is as close as we can come at this point in time.
4/11/10. GoErie.com. "Erie's new identity: 'The Flagship City'"
http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100409/NEWS02/304089862
Identity has often been used as a tool to organize people and to make people feel as if they are a part of something bigger than themselves. The City of Erie, Pennsylvania is in the process of choosing a logo that will represent the identity of the city. The city will have a logo with the tagline "The Flagship City". Presumably, such a logo and tagline is meant to make residents feel proud of where they live and possibly bring tourism if someone is interested in that history. In this sense, identity is being used as a way to make a commodity or "brand-name". In this sense, identity is not something only associated with the "inner-self", but rather a larger social collectivity that one can be a part of. This kind of identity seems intentionally simple, because a multifaceted or open-ended identity might not be as easily communicable on a mass scale.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303720604575169783989253108.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
"Obama's Census Identity: The president chooses an old-time racial classification" by Abigail Thernstrom
With the 2010 Census underway, curiously this article explores what box(es) President Obama checked off. Thernstrom provides quite a critical view of Obama's choice to check the box that would only identify him as Black. The author disagrees with his choice to not use the ability to check off multiple boxes; this decision she says ignores half of Obama's identity. She wrote, "Our "change" president has chosen to stick with older and cruder single-race classifications, a holdover from racially ugly times." It seems that self-identification very much has the ability to be scrutinized by others.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/376984-identity-crisis-sinks-tiger-woods-at-masters
"Identity Crisis Sinks Tiger Woods at the Masters" by Michael Priebe
After months of a sin ridden Woods, he made his public comeback at the Master Tournament. It seems that now Woods is related with cheap sex and infidelity, one could argue that it has become part of his identity. While strong in the first few holes, he began stumbling mid way. The author wrote, "While watching Woods play his first competitive golf since his every private sin became public, it quickly became clear that this tournament would serve as an identity-crisis of sorts for Tiger." The big question is will Woods ever be abl to shake this negative persona the media has placed upon him? Or will his identity remain just sex-addict and no longer just good golfer?
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