What is identity?
In the social sciences, the term identity refers to a group’s or individual’s
sense of who they are. Psychologists Sigmund Freud and Erik Erickson are
among the psychologists who have discussed the concept of self-identity.
In sociology the idea of social identity is people’s labelling of themselves as
members of particular groups. These groups could be defined by nation,
social class, subculture, ethnicity, gender and even employment.
Anthropologists refer to cultural identity as the identity of a group or culture,
or of an individual as far as that individual is influenced by a group or culture.
And finally there is the term national identity which describes a country’s
unique values, beliefs and institutions. It is what makes a nation distinct from
other nations.
Define yourself within these 4 classifications.
Canadian Identity
What is the Canadian identity?
If you were in another country and saw a
Canadian on the street would you recognize him
or her?
Do Canadians speak a common language?
Are there certain cultural norms that are typical
of Canadians?
Canadian Identity
We Canadians live in a blind spot about our
identity. We have very strong feelings about
who we aren't but only weak ones about who
we are. We're passionate about what we don't
want to become but oddly passive about what
we should be.
Do you agree?
Canadian Identity
Canadians have struggled with the concept of a
national identity since the arrival of nationhood in
1867.
Canadians have spent many years struggling for
true independence from Great Britain, and then
spent many more years struggling to protect
Canadian culture from the much more populous
and influential United States.
How successful were we?
Canadian Identity
Watch this clip by the Joe(s).
How does is define being Canadian?
Read Lester Pearson’s address.
How does he define being Canadian?
Do you agree with either?
Which is better? Why?
Canadian Identity
In a world darkened by ethnic conflicts
that tear nations apart, Canada stands
as a model of how people of different
cultures can live and work together in
peace, prosperity, and mutual respect.
- Bill Clinton
Do you agree?
Canadian Identity
Many cultures are defined by their singularity.
The Canadian identity, according to Clinton, is based
on something very different.
Pluralism and inclusiveness are the prevailing values
in modern Canadian society.
Explain what the underlined words mean.
Do you agree with the conclusion drawn above?
Does this create any cognitive dissonance with the
term “identity”? Why or why not?
Language in Canada
I didn’t know at first there were two languages in Canada. I
just thought there was a way to speak to my father and a
way to speak to my mother.
- PM Louis St. Laurent
Canada has an official policy of bilingualism. English and
French are our official languages. Unofficially, however, we are
a nation of over 100 languages.
Read the article “Canadians bilingual?”
How do the conclusions of this article affect Canadian
identity?
Ethnicity in Canada
In any world menu, Canada must be considered the vichyssoise of nations,
it's cold, half-French, and difficult to stir.
- Stuart Keate
Over 200 ethnic groups are represented in Canada according to Statistics
Canada. After Canadian (11.7 million), English (6 million) and French (4.7
million), Statistics Canada reported that the most frequent ethnic origins in
2001 were Scottish, with 4.2 million responses, and Irish, with 3.8 million.
Next most common ancestries reported were German (2.7 million), Italian
(1.3 million), Chinese (1.1 million), Ukrainian (1.1 million) and North American
Indian (1 million).
The face of the average Canadian is changing. There are far more visible
minorities today than there were even ten years ago. Immigrants to Canada
are no longer arriving from Western Europe as they did fifty years ago.
Instead, they come from Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa
and South America.
Norms, Values and Institutions
Most Canadian institutions (our government structure,
laws, even our education system) have their roots in
British institutions. But the recognition of other cultures
has lead to changes. For instance, aboriginal justice is
now an accepted and legal practice in many aboriginal
communities. It recognizes such things as mediation and
community sentencing circles.
Many of our cultural norms and values have also changed
to reflect the changing nature of Canadian society.
Challenges - Tribalism
In the social sciences, tribalism refers to the
strong cultural or ethnic identity that separates
the members of one group from the members of
another.
Tribalism is sometimes seen as at odds
with nationalism or an individual’s identification
with, and loyalty to, a nation – OUR nationalism
vs. YOUR nationalism
Nationalism
The term nation, in anthropology, refers to a human organization that is ruled by a
centralized form of government. Some see the province of Quebec as a distinct
nation within Canada. Although for some the designation of Quebec as nation is
largely symbolic, for many Quebecois, the meaning goes much deeper. They see
themselves as a separate, distinct nation with all the rights and privileges inherent
in that designation.
Aboriginal communities also view themselves as a nation and seek official
recognition of that reality.
This is more than semantics. Two of the defining characteristics of nationhood are
territory (or land rights) and government. The concepts of land rights and selfgovernment are central to the cause of Aboriginal nationhood.
Another interesting thing has been happening in Canada. Many more Canadians
are now identifying their ethnic origin as Canadian according the Statistics Canada.
Transnationalism
Can a person have multiple national identities?
Transnationalism is another challenge to identity. In economics, the concept of
transnationalism implies that organizations (including charities and businesses)
should be able to operate freely in a number of nations. But the effect of
transnationalism goes beyond economics. It has facilitated the flow of ideas,
people and goods.
When I'm in Canada, I feel this is what the world should be like.
- Jane Fonda
A century ago, immigrants would move to Canada and sever most ties with their
homeland. Improvements in transportation and telecommunication technologies
have made it easier for migrants to maintain strong ties to their homelands.
These strong ties have lead Canadians to debate the issue of dual citizenship.
Globalization
How do Canadians stay Canadian?
Globalization is primarily an economic force that is defined as the integration of the
world’s regional, national and continental organizations into a single economic
system. But the increasing globalization of the world’s economy has had a profound
effect also on culture, and therefore, on identity. It has lead to the homogenization
or blending of peoples and culture. Anthropologists argue that Western Englishspeaking nations are dominating world culture, and contributing to the
disappearance of other distinct cultures.
I'm not an American! I am a Canadian. I come from a "nice", thoroughly unrealistic
country.
- Matthew Fisher
The Canadian cultural identity is threatened by both the proximity and size of the
United States. Globalization has increased that threat. We are inundated with media
(Television, Radio, Movies, the Internet) from the United States, and therefore with
the cultural values and norms of American society. This has lead to several
government initiatives to protect Canadian culture from erosion.