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Have you ever thought about: What factors shape your cultural identity?
Cultural identity is part of personal identity and involves many factors such as nationality, ethnicity, religion, social class, generation, geographic location, gender, etc. Cultural identity is not only a characteristic of an individual, but also a characteristic shared by a group of people with the same cultural background. This identity is dynamic and evolves in response to changing social, cultural and historical experiences. For some people, cultural identity changes more, while for those who change less, they may have a clearer and more stable cultural identity.
The three core components of cultural identity include cultural knowledge, category labels and social connections. Cultural knowledge refers to the identity connection that an individual establishes through understanding the core characteristics of his or her culture; category labels are a kind of identity connection reflected by indirectly becoming a member of the culture; social connection refers to the identity connection that an individual establishes in social relationships. identity recognition.
Understandings of culture are multi-layered and often contested. The term culture is highly complex, with scholars identifying approximately 160 different meanings. The dynamic nature of culture means that it changes over time and context, making it possible for many people today to identify with one or more cultures and to express their cultural identity in a variety of ways.
People’s understanding of their own and others’ identities begins at birth and is influenced by the values and attitudes of their families and surrounding communities. Contemporary cultural studies and social theories explore different aspects of cultural identity, revealing that in different cultural identification contexts, an individual's identity may no longer be a complete whole, but rather a collection of diverse cultural identifiers.
As one author puts it: "When we think of identity, we usually define the term as a set of physical characteristics that distinguish us from others. At birth, our parents name us and identify us as either a boy or a girl. We.” Identity goes beyond our names, genders, times and places; it is a dynamic process that evolves throughout life.
Cultural divisions are very subtle in some areas, especially in rapidly changing cities where ethnic groups are diverse and social cohesion is based primarily on geographical proximity. As a "reservoir of history", culture plays an important role in shaping identity. Many groups will consciously or unconsciously revise their historical records to strengthen their cultural identity or seek the legitimacy of cultural change.
Some critics of cultural identity argue that the maintenance of cultural identity is based on difference and can become a divisive force in society, whereas cosmopolitanism enables individuals to gain a stronger sense of common citizenship. The state provides a framework for external cultural reality for cultural identity, influencing individuals in their internal cultural reality.
There is a close relationship between cultural identity and new media. Cultural identity does not simply reflect an individual's interactions within a particular group, but may be defined by social networks that are shaped by imitating and following social norms presented in the media. This means that individuals no longer learn behaviors and knowledge solely from cultural or religious groups, but instead build their cultural identity through the media.
“Cultural identity is the sum of material and spiritual wealth created by human beings in social and historical practice.”
In today's society, language also influences the formation of cultural identity to a certain extent. Language allows people to communicate their values, beliefs and customs. It has long been believed that if a child loses his or her native language, he or she loses part or all of his or her cultural identity. Non-native English speakers often feel that their native language has no value when they can only take classes in English, which can lead to a drastic change in their cultural identity.
Furthermore, discussions of cultural identity are often neglected in educational settings. When educators fail to address issues of cultural identity in the classroom, their educational and social development is limited. Therefore, when schools are able to support students from different backgrounds and assist them in exploring their cultural identities, they will be able to better understand each other and expand their own worldviews.
In the immigrant experience, identity development exhibits a multidimensional phenomenon of addition and discontinuity. Research has found that individuals with a bicultural identity are best able to adapt to life and school in a new country of residence. Schools and society should provide opportunities for young immigrants to maintain contact with their national culture and learn about the local culture to help them succeed in adapting to the new culture.
Have you ever thought about your own identity and realized the multiple influences of culture, language, and environment, and how these factors continue to shape who you are today?
