Last week we reflected on the question what
happens to identity when individuals become mobile,
or move from one space to another?
This is also our final essay question.
We've mentioned before that individuals have always been mobile.
We then look more closely at the case of Nelson Mandela and how he perceived
his identity when the South African apartheid state
deprived him of his right to move freely.
Generally, in periods of social stress,
the differences along the lines of race,
class and gender become more noticeable.
You also had a chance to read the works of Blommaert and Sichone on the effects of
migration and the social turmoil that
erupts when foreigners come to be viewed as a threat.
We then asked you to write your first draft of the introduction to your essay.
Your introduction is likely to develop in the weeks to come.
At this point, we would like to introduce a new theme that is often
used in conjunction with or even interchangeably with the concept of identity.
This is the theme of culture.
Culture is important because it affects the ways in which we view,
internalize and express our identities.
Culture allows us to be part of groups that are most like us.
It also tells us which groups are different.
We all carry aspects of our cultures around with us in the way we speak,
the way we dress,
what we eat, what we believe in and so forth.
Culture is therefore an important part of identities.
It is the means through which we are able to express who and what we are.
A discussion about identity and what happens to
it when it crosses from one context into another,
can thus be enriched and made much more
interesting when it touches on aspects of culture.
Remember that you will be defining what identity is in your essays,
and making the link with culture is one way in which to do this.
Culture, therefore provides you with a point of reference for
discussing some of the issues you may want
to raise in your respective paragraphs of your essay.
So, what is it that comes to mind when we hear this word culture?
Well, within my own cultural context of living in Cape Town in South Africa,
my family and community speak well,
mainly English and Afrikaans.
The majority are either Christian or Muslim.
And one of our favorite pastimes is braaing also known as barbecue in other contexts.
And well now that I think about it,
my immediate and extended family are also very different from each other.
So the question I'm confronted with all the time is what makes my culture distinctive?
In fact, what makes anybody's culture stand out?
So, how would you describe your culture?
Also, think about what happens to one's culture as
individuals move across borders and how this impacts on identity.
Remember that the discussion about culture is also a discussion about identity.
The issue of culture therefore,
resonates strongly with the question of identity
and mobility that has been explored in this course.