analytical essay on identity crisis

Cultural Globalization: A Critical Analysis of Identity Crises in the Developing Economies

• First Online: 26 April 2019

Cite this chapter

• M. Rezaul Islam 2 , 3 ,
• Haris Abd. Wahab 3 ,
• Cristiano Franco Burmester 4 &
• Shofiqur Rahman Chowdhury 3 , 5  

Part of the book series: Contributions to Economics ((CE))

1719 Accesses

2 Citations

Cultural globalization and local identity are two indivisible words. There is a crucial debate whether cultural globalization thrives or deteriorates local identity. The main objective of this chapter is to justify whether cultural globalization is a threat to local identity. This study used a qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis (QIMS) that reviews literature on cultural globalization in the developing economies. Results showed that in many countries especially in the developing one, cultural globalization has emerged as a threat to local identity. As a result, these countries perceive a number of socioeconomic, cultural, and psychological problems such as poverty and social inequality, erasure of local cultures and heritages, regional disparity, and lack of development ownership. Many of these aspects are closely related with the threat to local identity. This chapter argues that there are many benefits of globalization, but the vast negative consequences are related with the scope of local identity such as cultural dislocation and displacement, cultural realm, breaking cultural autonomy, diffuse cultural traits, and destruction of local traditions and occupations. The finding would be useful to development thinkers, policymakers, and cultural activists.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

• Available as PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Durable hardcover edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Aguirre RT, Bolton KM (2013) Why do they do it? A qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis of crisis volunteers’ motivations. Soc Work Res 37(4):327–338

Article   Google Scholar  

Alfasi N, Fenster T (2005) A tale of two cities: Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in an age of globalization. Cities 22(5):351–363

Allen T, Skelton T (eds) (2005) Culture and global change. Routledge, London

Google Scholar  

Babran S (2008) Media, globalization of culture, and identity crisis in developing countries. Intercult Commun Stud 17(2):212–221

Bauman Z (1998) On glocalization: or globalization for some, localization for some others. Thesis Eleven 54(1):37–49

Bhavsar V, Bhugra D (2008) Religious delusions: finding meanings in psychosis. Psychopathology 41(3):165

Bhugra D, Mastrogianni A (2004) Globalization and mental disorders. Br J Psychiatry 184(1):10–20

Bird A, Fang T (2009) Cross cultural management in the age of globalization. Int J Cross-cult Manag 9(2):139–143

Bottomore T, Goode P (1984) Austro-marxism. Stud Sov Thought 27:66–71

Carnoy M, Hallak J, Caillods F (1999) Globalization and educational reform: what planners need to know. UNESCO, International Institute for Educational Planning, Paris

Carr SC (2006) Globalization and culture at work: exploring their combined glocality. Springer Science & Business Media, New York

Castells M (1996) The rise of network the society. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford

Castells M (1999) Information technology, globalization and social development, vol 114. United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, Geneva

Chowdhury SR, Wahab HA, Islam MR (2018) The role of faith-based NGOs in social development: invisible empowerment. Int Soc Work. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020872818767260

Coldwell-Harris CL, Aycicegi A (2006) When personality and culture clash: the psychological distress of allocentrics in an individualistic culture and idiocentrics in a collectivistic culture. Transcult Psychiatry 43(3):331–361

Dalby S (2007) Globalization, geography and environmental security. In: Kofman E, Youngs G (eds) Globalization: theory and practice. Continuum, New York

Dorman P (2000) Actually existing globalization. In: Rethinking globalization(s). Palgrave Macmillan, London, pp 32–55

Chapter   Google Scholar  

Erickson B, Roberts M (1997) Marketing local identity. J Urban Des 2(1):35–59

Eslake S (2000) The drivers of globalization. Presentation to a Regional Defence Seminar hosted by the Australian Department of Defence Cypress Lakes Resort. New South Wales, 20 Nov 2000

Haslam SA (2001) Your wish is our command: the role of shared social identity. Social identity processes in organizational contexts, p 213

Horowitz D (2000) Betty Friedan and the making of the feminine mystique: the American left, the Cold War, and modern feminism. University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst

Howes D (ed) (1996) Cross-cultural consumption: global markets, local realities. Routledge, London

Inglehart R (2000) Globalization and postmodern values. Wash Q 23(1):215–228

Islam MR (2009) Indigenous knowledge and globalization in Bangladesh: NGOs’ capacity for social capital and community development. PhD Thesis, University of Nottingham, UK

Islam MR (2014a) Improving development ownership among the vulnerable people: challenges of NGOs’ community empowerment projects in Bangladesh. Asian Soc Work Policy Rev 8(3):193–209. (Wiley)

Islam MR (2014b) NGOs’ role for social capital and community empowerment in community development: experience from Bangladesh. Asian Soc Work Policy Rev 8(3):261–274

Islam MR (2016) NGOs, social capital and community empowerment in Bangladesh. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore

Book   Google Scholar  

Islam MR (2017a) NGO community empowerment projects in Bangladesh: how do these fit the local context. Local Econ 32(7):763–777

Islam MR (2017b) Non-governmental organizations and community development in Bangladesh. Int Soc Work 60(2):479–493

Islam MR, Hossain D (2014) Island char resources mobilization (ICRM): changes of livelihoods of vulnerable people in Bangladesh. Soc Indic Res 117(3):1033–1054

Islam MR, Morgan WJ (2012) Non-governmental organizations in Bangladesh: their contribution to social capital development and community empowerment. Community Dev Journal 47(3):369–338

Islam MR, Mungai NW (2016) Forced eviction in Bangladesh: a human rights issue. Int Soc Work 59(4):494–507

Islam MR, Wahab HA, Chowdhury SR (2018) The impacts of globalization on local identity: comparative study between Southeast Asia and Latin America. University of Malay, Kuala Lumpur

Jones RW, Kierzkowski H (2004) 10 globalization and the consequences of international fragmentation. In: Money, capital mobility, and trade: essays in honor of Robert A. Mundell. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, p 365

Jönsson K (2010) Unity-in-diversity?: regional identity-building in Southeast Asia. J Curr SE Asian Aff 29(2):41–72

Kaul V (2012) Globalization and crisis of cultural identity. J Res Int Bus Manag 2(13):341–349

Kinnvall C, Jönsson K (eds) (2002) Globalization and democratization in Asia: the construction of identity. Psychology Press, London

Köchler H (1986) The relation of man and world. Existential and phenomenological perspectives. In: Köchler H (ed) Phenomenological realism. Selected essays. Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main, pp 45–58

Livesey C (2004) Culture and identity, sociological pathways. http://www.sociology.org.uk/pathway2.htm

Lloyd PJ (1998) Globalisation and competition policies. Weltwirtschaftliches Arch 134(2):161–185

Marshall MG (2005) Current status of the world’s major episodes of political violence. Report to Political Instability Task Force, 3 February 2005

Mittelman JH (2000) The globalization syndrome: transformation and resistance. Princeton University Press, Princeton

Morley D (2000) Home territories: media, mobility, identity. CRC Press, London

Muzaffar C (2002) Globalization and religion: some reflections. http://www.islamonline.net . Retrieved Dec 2012

Nash K (2001) The ‘cultural turn’ in social theory: towards a theory of cultural politics. Sociology 35(1):77–92

Naz A, Khan W, Daraz U, Hussain M (2012) The crises of identity: globalization and its impacts on socio-cultural and psychological identity among Pakhtuns of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2082990

Ohmae K (1990) The borderless world. Collins, London

Ohmae K (1995) Putting global logic first. Harv Bus Rev 73:119–125

Ramsaran D, Price DV (2003) Globalization: a critical framework for understanding contemporary social processes. Globalizations 3(2):15–32

Reza MM, Subramaniam T, Islam MR (2018) Economic and social well-being of Asian labour migrants: a literature review. Soc Indic Res. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-018-1876-5

Ritzer G (2008) Sociological theory. McGraw-Hill, New York

Robert B, Lajtha C (2002) A new approach to crisis management. J Conting Crisis Manag 10(4):181–191

Ruiz E, Praetorius RT (2016) Deciphering the lived experience of Latinos with diabetes and depression: a qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis. Soc Work Public Health 31(2):70–82

Rummens J (1993) Personal identity and social structure in Sint Maartin/Saint Martin: a plural identities approach. Unpublished Thesis/Dissertation, York University

Salzman MB (2001) Globalization, culture, and anxiety: perspectives and predictions from terror management theory. J Soc Distress Homeless 10(4):337–352

Scholte JA (2000) What is ‘global’ about globalization? Macmillan, London

Scott AJ (1997) The cultural economy of cities. Int J Urban Reg Res 21(2):323–339

Sharma S, Sharma M (2010) Globalization, threatened identities, coping and well-being. Psychol Stud 55(4):313–322

Tembo F (2004) NGDOs’ role in building poor people’s capacity to benefit from globalization. J Int Dev 16(7):1023–1037

Tomlinson J (1999) Globalization and culture. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL

Vukić F (2012) Communicating local and collective identity: sustainable development as creative collaborative practice. In: Arte-Polis 4 international conference creative connectivity and the making of place, living smart by design, January 2012

Zhuojun W, Hualing H (2014) National identity in the era of globalization: crisis and reconstruction. Soc Sci China 35(2):139–154

Download references

Acknowledgement

We would like to acknowledge the financial support provided by the University of Malaya under the Equitable Society Research Cluster (ESRC) research grant RP0 24C-15SBS.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Institute of Social Welfare & Research, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh

M. Rezaul Islam

Department of Social Administration & Justice, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

M. Rezaul Islam, Haris Abd. Wahab & Shofiqur Rahman Chowdhury

Department of Journalism, Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Cristiano Franco Burmester

Department of Social Work, Shahjalal University of Science & Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh

Shofiqur Rahman Chowdhury

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

Cambridge, MA, USA

Nezameddin Faghih

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Islam, M.R., Wahab, H.A., Burmester, C.F., Chowdhury, S.R. (2019). Cultural Globalization: A Critical Analysis of Identity Crises in the Developing Economies. In: Faghih, N. (eds) Globalization and Development. Contributions to Economics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14370-1_16

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14370-1_16

Published : 26 April 2019

Publisher Name : Springer, Cham

Print ISBN : 978-3-030-14369-5

Online ISBN : 978-3-030-14370-1

eBook Packages : Economics and Finance Economics and Finance (R0)

Share this chapter

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

• Bipolar Disorder
• Therapy Center
• When To See a Therapist
• Types of Therapy
• Best Online Therapy
• Best Couples Therapy
• Best Family Therapy
• Managing Stress
• Sleep and Dreaming
• Understanding Emotions
• Self-Improvement
• Healthy Relationships
• Student Resources
• Personality Types
• Guided Meditations
• Verywell Mind Insights
• 2024 Verywell Mind 25
• Mental Health in the Classroom
• Editorial Process
• Meet Our Review Board
• Crisis Support

How to Recognize and Cope With an Identity Crisis

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Daniel B. Block, MD, is an award-winning, board-certified psychiatrist who operates a private practice in Pennsylvania.

10'000 Hours / Getty Images

Frequently Asked Questions

While everyone questions themself from time to time, you may be having an identity crisis if you are going through a big change or stressful time and internal questions regarding your sense of self begin to interfere with your daily life. You might also notice that you feel more irritable, unmotivated, or empty. Depending on the severity of your feelings and symptoms, there are several ways to deal with an identity crisis including professional treatment and social support.

The concept originates in the work of developmental psychologist Erik Erikson, who believed that the formation of identity was one of the most important conflicts that people face.

According to Erikson, an identity crisis is a time of intensive analysis and exploration of different ways of looking at oneself . Erikson noted that developing a sense of identity is important during the teenage years, though the formation and growth of identity is not confined to adolescence. Instead, identity shifts and changes throughout life as people confront new challenges and tackle different experiences. Thus, an identity crisis can occur at any age.

Symptoms of an Identity Crisis

A person going through an identity crisis may be preoccupied with certain questions:

• What am I passionate about?
• What are my spiritual beliefs ?
• What are my values?
• What is my role in society or purpose in life?
• Who am I? (This question may be in general or in regard to relationships, age, or career.)

It is important to be aware that having negative feelings about yourself or your life can be an indicator of a vulnerability for depression. If you are also experiencing depression symptoms such as low mood, loss of interest, fatigue, and irritability, you should talk to a healthcare provider.

How Identity Develops

Erikson believed that identity was formed by experimenting with different behaviors and roles, as well as through social interactions. Researcher James Marcia expanded upon Erikson's theory by suggesting that the balance between identity and confusion lies in making a commitment to an identity.

Marcia developed an interview method to measure identity. It looks at three different areas of functioning: occupational role, beliefs and values, and sexuality . He also identified four different identity statuses that people move through as they develop their identity:

• Foreclosure is when a person has made a commitment without attempting identity exploration.
• Achievement occurs when an individual has gone through an exploration of different identities and made a commitment to one.
• Diffusion occurs when there is neither an identity crisis nor commitment. Those with a status of identity diffusion tend to feel out of place in the world and don't pursue a sense of identity.
• Moratorium is the status of a person who is actively involved in exploring different identities but has not made a commitment.

Marcia argued that identity crises help people move from one status to another; however, people don't necessarily experience each of the statuses above.

Causes of an Identity Crisis

In Erikson's stages of psychosocial development , the emergence of an identity crisis occurs during the teenage years in which people struggle with feelings of identity versus role confusion .

In today's rapidly changing world, identity crises may be more common than in Erikson's day. Such crises often occur in response to a sudden change in a person's life. This may include personal life changes or broader societal events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

People tend to experience an identity crisis at various points in life, particularly at points of great change, including:

• Beginning a new relationship
• Ending a marriage or partnership
• Experiencing a traumatic event
• Having a child
• Learning about a health condition
• Losing a loved one
• Losing or starting a job
• Moving to a new place

Research also suggests that there are a number of factors that can influence whether a person experiences what is often referred to as a midlife crisis . Such factors include health issues, stress , and social support.

Having a mental health condition such as depression, bipolar disorder , and borderline personality disorder may also increase the likelihood of experiencing an identity crisis.

Diagnosing Identity Issues

It is important to note that an identity crisis is not an actual psychological diagnosis. However, identity is a key criterion for diagnosing personality disorders , and it is possible to be diagnosed with an identity issue or disorder.

For example, dissociative identity disorder is when someone has two or more distinct identities or personalities. It is diagnosed if, in addition to these distinct identities, the person also has ongoing memory gaps and their symptoms cause distress in some areas of life.

An identity disturbance , which is a criterion for borderline personality disorder , occurs when there is "uncertainty about several issues relating to identity." This can include having uncertainty about one's self-image, gender identity, values, and long-term goals.

Treatment for an Identity Crisis

If an identity crisis is creating significant distress and interfering with your ability to function normally, a doctor or mental health professional can help. Talk to them about how you're feeling and the changes or stress you're experiencing in your life.

Depending on the severity of your identity issues and the effects they are creating, there are several treatment options.

Psychotherapy

Therapy can be helpful for addressing some of the underlying issues that might be contributing to your identity crisis. One approach known as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) works to address the negative thoughts and behaviors that may cause issues with your view of yourself.

Group Therapy

Some studies have found group therapy to be helpful for treating identity crises, especially in adolescents. One such study reported positive results after engaging in group narrative therapy , which focuses on helping people find their voice through the stories they tell themselves.

Another noted similar findings after group-based reality therapy , which reinforces the power of making good choices.

If your symptoms are accompanied by anxiety or depression, your doctor may also suggest or prescribe medications ( anti-anxiety or antidepressant medicines) to help with those conditions. 

Coping With an Identity Crisis

In many cases, there are steps you can take to help work through an identity crisis on your own. Some things that may be helpful as you confront questions about your identity include:

• Acknowledge and accept your feelings . Seek to identify and understand the feelings you have about your identity, then acknowledge and accept them. Tell yourself that it is okay to feel the way you do, extending the same grace to yourself as you would a friend.
• Explore your beliefs and interests . When you are questioning your sense of self, it can be helpful to look inward and think about the things you are passionate about. What are you interested in? Are there things that you no longer like? Asking questions and exploring new hobbies and interests can be a helpful way to get to know yourself better.
• Consider your goals . Spend some time thinking about your goals in life. What do you want to accomplish? What types of things bring you the most joy and happiness ? An identity crisis might be a sign that some need is not currently being fulfilled, so finding ways to satisfy that need can bring a greater sense of fulfillment to your life.
• Get support . Having friends and family to lean on can help. Strong social support is an important part of mental well-being and can also be a way to gain the feedback and encouragement you need to feel comfortable with your identity. Friends, family members, social clubs, religious groups, team sports groups, and support groups can all be great places to find the support that you need.

There’s good reason to overcome an identity crisis. Researchers have found that those who have made a strong commitment to an identity tend to be happier and healthier than those who have not.

Exploring different aspects of yourself in the different areas of life, including your role at work, within the family, and in romantic relationships, can help strengthen your personal identity. Consider looking within to figure out the qualities and characteristics that define you and make you feel grounded and happy, as well as your values, interests, passions, and hobbies. 

Identity is another word for your "subjective self." It is who you are regardless of the changes you might go through in life—such as losing or gaining weight, or changing jobs—and is defined by your unique characteristics (physical, psychological, and interpersonal), your affiliations in this world, and your social roles.

Identity involves the experiences, relationships, beliefs, values, and memories that make up a person's subjective sense of self. This helps create a continuous self-image that remains fairly constant even as new aspects of the self are developed or strengthened over time.

If you are going through a challenging time (or a big change) and are questioning who you are—your values, passions, beliefs, or sexual identity—or how you fit into the world, you may be experiencing an identity crisis. Feeling empty, irritable, having decreased motivation, and social withdrawal are additional signs of an identity crisis.

Working with a mental health professional who is caring and supportive can be a powerful tool for overcoming an identity crisis. If you have depression or anxiety in addition to identity concerns, a doctor or therapist might also recommend medication or other forms of treatment to help with these symptoms.

When someone you love is having any type of mental health crisis, listening supportively and without judgment can help. If they seem highly distressed or the identity crisis is negatively impacting their lives, suggest that they talk to a doctor or mental health counselor. Individual or group therapy may help and medications might also be suggested to help reduce co-occurring issues such as depression and anxiety .

Knox College. Identity development .

APA Dictionary of Psychology. Identity crisis . American Psychological Association.

Montesano A, Feixas G, Caspar F, Winter D. Depression and identity: Are self-constructions negative or conflictual? .  Front Psychol . 2017;8:877. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00877

Fadjukoff P, Pulkkinen L, Kokko K. Identity formation in adulthood: A longitudinal study from age 27 to 50 .  Identity (Mahwah, N J) . 2016;16(1):8-23. doi:10.1080/15283488.2015.1121820

Sułkowski Ł, Szostak M. Identity crisis of artists during the Covid-19 pandemic and shift towards entrepreneurship . Entrep Bus Econ Rev . 2021;3:87-102.

Chang HK. Influencing factors on mid-life crisis . Korean J Adult Nurs . 2018;30(1):98. doi:10.7475/kjan.2018.30.1.98

Goth K, Foelsch P, Schluter-Muller S, et al. Assessment of identity development and identity diffusion in adolescence - Theoretical basis and psychometric properties of the self-report questionnaire AIDA . Child Adolesc Psychiat Mental Health . 2012;6:27. doi:10.1186/1753-2000-6-27

American Psychiatric Association. What are dissociative disorders? .

Zandersen M, Parnas J. Identity disturbance, feelings of emptiness, and the boundaries of the schizophrenia spectrum . Schizophren Bull . 2019;45(1):106-113. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbx183

Karimian N, Askari M, Karimi Y, Zarei E. The effectiveness of group narrative therapy on reducing identity crisis and mental health improvement of Divandarre students . Hormozgan Med J . 2014;18:403-410.

Behmanesh Z, Kheramine S, Ramazani KH. The effectiveness of group training based on choice theory on identity crisis and mental health of high school male students in second grade in Dogonbadan . Yasuj Univ Med Sci . 2020;25(5):642-56.

Appalachian State University. Identity issues .

Karaś D, Cieciuch J, Negru O, Crocetti E. Relationships between identity and well-being in Italian, Polish, and Romanian emerging adults . Soc Indic Res . 2015;121(3):727-743. doi:10.1007/s11205-014-0668-9

APA Dictionary of Psychology. Identity . American Psychological Association.

Keck School of Medicine of USC. Chapter Twelve - Interventions for identity issues .

American Psychological Association. How to help in an emotional crisis .

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

• Alzheimer's & Dementia
• Asthma & Allergies
• Atopic Dermatitis
• Breast Cancer
• Cardiovascular Health
• Environment & Sustainability
• Exercise & Fitness
• Headache & Migraine
• Health Equity
• HIV & AIDS
• Human Biology
• Men's Health
• Mental Health
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Parkinson's Disease
• Psoriatic Arthritis
• Sexual Health
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Women's Health
• Nutrition & Fitness
• Vitamins & Supplements
• At-Home Testing
• Men’s Health
• Women’s Health
• Latest News
• Medical Myths
• Honest Nutrition
• Through My Eyes
• New Normal Health
• 2023 in medicine
• Why exercise is key to living a long and healthy life
• What do we know about the gut microbiome in IBD?
• My podcast changed me
• Can 'biological race' explain disparities in health?
• Why Parkinson's research is zooming in on the gut
• Health Hubs
• Find a Doctor
• BMI Calculators and Charts
• Blood Pressure Chart: Ranges and Guide
• Breast Cancer: Self-Examination Guide
• Sleep Calculator
• RA Myths vs Facts
• Type 2 Diabetes: Managing Blood Sugar
• Ankylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or Fiction
• Our Editorial Process
• Content Integrity
• Conscious Language
• Health Conditions
• Health Products

What is an identity crisis?

An identity crisis is a phase many people go through when they question or reassess who they are. A search for identity is common during the teenage years but people may also reassess their lives after a major life event, such as retirement.

Psychoanalyst and psychologist Erik Erikson developed the concept of the identity crisis to characterize the experimentation and identity development phase that people experience during their teen years.

The period of identity crisis happens during the fifth stage of Erikson’s stages of development. During the crisis, a person experiments with different roles and identities. At the end of this stage of development, a person either resolves the crisis and has a firm identity or has identity confusion . In Erikson’s theory, an identity crisis is a normal, predictable part of healthy development.

The concept has since become popular, and many people now use it to describe any phase in which a person questions themselves. For example, people may say that a midlife crisis is an identity crisis, that they are having an identity crisis if they cannot decide on a career, or may report an identity crisis after graduating college or another major life change. That is to say, the term now has two distinct meanings, and in popular usage, it has changed considerably from its original meaning.

Keep reading to learn more about identity crisis, the importance of identity, causes and symptoms, coping tips, and advice on when to consult a doctor.

What is an identity crisis? 

According to Erik Erikson’s eight stages of development, an identity crisis happens as a part of normal development.

Each of Erikson’s eight stages features a conflict between two opposing values . During the fifth stage, in adolescence, a person must choose between identity and identity confusion. This stage features an identity crisis.

During an identity crisis, a person “tries on” different identities and ways of being. They may question their family’s values and cultural norms, and begin developing their own system of values and unique personality, separate from their family.

The term has evolved with time. In its popular use, people use it to refer to any time a person’s identity shifts or they question their identity. For example, cultural or occupational changes might spur a professional identity crisis .

The importance of identity

A sense of identity helps people interact with the world around them. A consistent identity may reduce confusion and anxiety, guide a person’s choices, and nurture meaningful self-esteem.

Erikson argued that identity certainty helps a person reject incongruent self-evaluations. For example, a person with a strong sense of identity may be better equipped to ignore or reject bullying. Identity confusion or uncertainty may lead to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.

Erikson believed it was important to be flexible and not to strive solely for a strong identity. Doing so can nurture fanaticism and inflexibility. Instead, a person must be open to shifts in identity.

In Erikson’s understanding, development centers around eight stages of psychosocial development , which follow one another in a predictable order. Stage five happens in adolescence, when a person faces an identity crisis and must choose between ego identity and confusion.

In the popular conception of an identity crisis, an identity crisis can occur after a major life change or following a trauma. Some potential causes might include:

• graduating high school or college
• getting married
• starting a job
• losing a spouse or parent
• becoming a parent
• changes in one’s job duties or career path

In both Erikson’s understanding and the popular conception, identity crises share several features. Those include :

• exploring new identities and ways of being
• trying different ways of thinking
• being uncertain of one’s identity and values
• thinking about one’s role in the world and in relationships

Importantly, in the Eriksonian understanding of an identity crisis, these behaviors are a feature of adolescence, not other stages of development. Healthy identity development requires a teenager to resolve the crisis with a sense of identity. This does not require treatment.

In the popular conception of an identity crisis, an identity crisis may have additional features:

• major life change, such as graduating from college or experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic
• a shift in a person’s values or life path
• a developmental change outside of adolescence, such as getting married or entering midlife
• a shift in gender identity

As with Erikson’s understanding, this popular understanding resolves when a person understands and accepts their identity. However, unlike in the Eriksonian understanding, this is not a usual part of development. A person might need treatment for mental health support to work through it.

An identity crisis, in Erikson’s understanding, does not require treatment. Erikson did believe that certain behaviors and emotions may be signs of developmental issues and identity confusion. For example, depression , anxiety , and other widespread issues among young people may result from an unresolved identity crisis.

People experiencing identity issues may find support in therapy . During therapy, a person can clarify their values, discuss their history, reclaim or develop a new identity, and receive support for the anxiety and stress that sometimes accompany an identity crisis.

An identity crisis is not a mental health diagnosis and does not require medication. However, some people may develop mental health conditions during an identity crisis or find that their identity crisis intensifies a preexisting mental health condition. Medication, especially along with therapy, may help.

Linked conditions

Some conditions that are similar to an identity crisis include:

• Midlife crisis: A crisis of identity in midlife.
• Quarterlife crisis: A crisis of identity that often happens in a person’s 20s, as they begin a career or graduate college.
• Professional identity crisis : A crisis occurring when a person is unsure of their career.
• Gender dysphoria : Feeling uncomfortable with the gender a person is assigned at birth, which may include the desire to live as another gender.
• Adjustment disorder : An intense stress reaction to a stress or trauma.

Learn more about adjustment disorder here.

Coping tips

Some strategies for coping with an identity crisis include:

• Learning about different identities and ways of being. Reading new books, watching TV, attending different religious ceremonies, and other strategies to explore identity may help. This strategy can also make diverse identities feel more accepted.
• Interacting with many different people. Learn about their lives and ask about their experiences. This may help with cultivating a meaningful identity.
• Considering how cultural and family norms affect a person’s identity. Weigh which aspects a person would like to accept and reject.
• Seeking support from trusted loved ones or a therapist.
• Understanding that no one else can, or should, determine a person’s identity.
• Embracing the crisis as a chance to develop a meaningful sense of identity and purpose.

When to contact a doctor

An identity crisis is not a mental health diagnosis or a medical problem. In the Eriksonian understanding, it is a natural stage of development. It does not need treatment if a person resolves the crisis and does not develop identity confusion.

A person might consider talking with a doctor or mental health professional if they:

• experience intense dissatisfaction with or confusion about their identity
• would like mental health support to navigate an identity crisis
• develop intense anxiety or depression
• have thoughts of self-harm

Suicide prevention

If you know someone at immediate risk of self-harm, suicide, or hurting another person:

• Ask the tough question: “Are you considering suicide?”
• Listen to the person without judgment.
• Call 911 or the local emergency number, or text TALK to 741741 to communicate with a trained crisis counselor.
• Stay with the person until professional help arrives.
• Try to remove any weapons, medications, or other potentially harmful objects.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, a prevention hotline can help. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day at 988. During a crisis, people who are hard of hearing can use their preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988.

Find more links and local resources.

An identity crisis is a typical stage of development that, in Erikson’s understanding, everyone must face. Outside of Erikson’s conception, identity crises remain common, and some people experience several during their lives.

An identity crisis is not necessarily a negative. It may encourage a person to question their values and place in the world, embrace new values, and understand their relationships with others. However, the process can feel stressful, and people who feel stuck may develop identity confusion. If this occurs, they should seek mental health advice.

Talking with supportive loved ones or a therapist may also help people navigate an identity crisis.

Last medically reviewed on March 11, 2022

• Psychology / Psychiatry

How we reviewed this article:

• Cote, J. E. (2018). The enduring usefulness of Erikson’s concept of the identity crisis in the 21st century: An analysis of student mental health concerns [Abstract].  https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15283488.2018.1524328
• Danes-Brozek, V. (2021). Life in quarantine as a possible cause of psychological identity crisis in development. https://journal.bhidapa.ba/index.php/bhidapa/article/view/24
• Erik Erikson. (n. d.). https://www.britannica.com/biography/Erik-Erikson
• Identity crisis. (n. d.). https://dictionary.apa.org/identity-crisis
• Identity versus identity confusion. (n. d.). https://dictionary.apa.org/identity-versus-identity-confusion
• Ling, S. (2018). Professional identity crisis in the integrated care era. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/great_lakes_conference/2018/schedule/21
• Orenstein, G. A., et al. (2021). Erikson's stages of psychosocial development. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK556096
• Rogers, L. O. (2018). Who am I, who are we? Erikson and a transactional approach to identity research [Abstract]. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15283488.2018.1523728
• What is gender dysphoria? (2020). https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/gender-dysphoria/what-is-gender-dysphoria
• Zelviene, P., et al. (2017). Adjustment disorder: Current perspectives. https://www.dovepress.com/adjustment-disorder-current-perspectives-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDT

Share this article

Latest news

• Can sleep really clear toxins from the brain? New study offers clues
• Regularly adding table salt to food linked to 41% higher risk of gastric cancer
• Vegan and vegetarian diets provide a vast array of health benefits, study says
• How semaglutide drugs such as Ozempic can help with long-term weight loss and heart health
• Is a flu vaccine with long-term effectiveness on the horizon?

Related Coverage

An existential crisis occurs when a person often wonders if life has any inherent meaning or purpose. Though not a serious mental health condition in…

Toxic positivity is an obsession with positive thinking and putting a positive spin on all experiences, even those that are profoundly tragic. Learn…

Adjustment disorder is a reaction to a stressful life event or major change that may seem out of proportion and cause mental health issues. Learn more…

A self-fulfilling prophecy is when a person's predictions come true due to how their own beliefs have influenced the outcome. Learn more.

Looksmaxxing is an online trend which involves a person making changes to their appearance to fit in with certain beauty standards. Learn more here.

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• We're Hiring!
• Help Center

Critical Analysis of Identity Crisis in Hanif Kurieshi's Novel “The Buddha of Suburbia”

This paper critically analyzes the dilemma of identity crisis and its impact on immigrants concerning the Hanif Kurieggidentity crisis into its texts because of the rule of colonial power and its impacts on the colonized. Under the impact of this colonial power, the crisis of identity has been originated in western countries on social, economic, political, religious, and cultural grounds. Postcolonial theoretical ideas i.e, hybridity, mimicry, assimilation, and ambivalence by Homi K. Bhabha are applied into the text of this research paper to examine the dilemma of identity crisis more clearly. Karim Amir, the protagonist of the novel faces an identity crisis in tormenting and perturbing the social order of England. Such a tormenting and disturbing condition of England is a threat both to Karim and immigrants. The quest for an identity for Karim Amir is very complicated and alarming which sets a dilemma for the whole world to look at this global issue seriously. The Whites think abou...

Related Papers

gökçen KARA

Şermin Sezer

RÜMEYSA PEKTAŞ

This study exhibits how orientalist view reveals itself in The Buddha of Suburbia by Hanif Kureishi. Many of the subjects represented in the novel are still relevant in today’s society. One of the most important one is “Orientalism” which is portrayed by the author throughout the novel. We search for answer why orientalism has essential place in the plot. In the novel we feel that the author aims to arouse attention of the readers in orientalism experienced by immigrants from non-Western backgrounds. In order to obtain a deep understanding of the theme “orientalism”, definition and historical background of the term is presented in this paper. The analysis of the novel’s genre and characters are examined in detail by quotations from the novel. The novel has many autobiographical traits therefore we give a place to author’s biography to establish a connection. It can be clearly understood that the author reflects his own identity with the protagonist Karim like most of the characters ...

SMART M O V E S J O U R N A L IJELLH

Hanif Kureishi is a second generation immigrant Englishman born of an English mother and Indian-Pakistani-Muslim father. His works mirror the condition of Britain of the last threefour decades which is marked by rapid and radical socio-cultural changes. After 1945 (World War II) Britain started losing her colonies. Colonialism ended with the political independence of the colonies. However, the legacy of colonialism was here to stay and have a far reaching influence not only on the former colonies but also on Britain. From the 1950s onwards, a large number of people moved from parts of the Caribbean, South East Asia, Africa and other parts of the world and settled in Britain’s urban areas. This influx of immigrants has changed the face of British society and culture in profound ways. In the initial years there was an implicit understanding on the part of the new immigrant population and the host communities that within two or three generations the immigrants whose language and culture appeared alien to the host communities would have acquired a level of the English language and would no longer seem out of place. However, that did not happen. What was in the making was a status of hybridity of different degrees. The present paper attempts to explore this hybridity in cultural, racial and ethnic terms in Hanif Kureishi’s novel The Buddha of Sururbia. Key Words: Immigrants; ethnicity; race; culture; hybridity

Fatma Kalpaklı Yeğin

Britain becomes the living place for many people coming from different racial, social and religiousbackgrounds. Having this diversity, however, may cause to some problems due to homogenization policies and conformist attitudes of WASP people in daily life. Some of the problems experienced by the immigrants such as racial and religious discrimination may result in identity crisis by enforcing them to feel as if second-class citizens and make their lives more difficult. When the problems of the immigrants in Britain are taken into consideration, the race issue seems to be the most important one among their problems since the English people adopt a hostile attitude towards the immigrants. The aim of this paper is to analyse the issue of the identity crisis and the problems of the immigrants in Britain with reference to Hanif Kureishi's The Buddha of Suburbia (1990). In the analysis of the identity issues, ideas of cultural studies theoricians such as Stuart Hall and Homi Bhabha will also be referred to within the context of the novel. Furthermore, the strategies of the immigrants to cope with these problems in order to survive in Britain will also be dealt with and the question of whether these problems would be solved in the near future will be raised in this paper. Thus, this paper aims at offering a more complete picture of Hanif Kureishi's Britain in the late 20th century. Keywords: Hanif Kureishi, The Buddha of Suburbia, identity crisis, multiculturalism, immigrants in Britain. Type of Study: Case Analysis Hanif Kureishi'nin Varoşların Budası Adlı Romanında Kimlik Arayışı ÖZET Britanya dünyanın dört bir tarafından göç aldığı ve zamanında da bir imparatorluk olduğu için farklı ırklardan, dinlerden ve dillerden birçok insanı barındırmaktadır. Bu çeşitlilik, zaman zaman Anglo-Sakson, Protestan, orta sınıf erkek egemen, homojenize edici kültürel eğilimleri olan beyaz nüfusu rahatsız etmekte ve bazı sorunları da beraberinde getirebilmektedir. Özellikle göçmenlerin maruz kaldıkları ırk ve din ayrımı onların kimlik bunalımına girmesine yol açarak hayatlarını daha da zorlaştırmaktadır. Bu bağlamda, İngilizlerin göçmenlere çoğunlukla düşmanca yaklaşması sonucunda, günlük hayatta sıkça karşılaşılan ırkçılık, göçmenlerin en önemli sorunu gibi gözükmektedir ve kendilerini ikinci sınıf vatandaş gibi hissetmektedirler. Bu durum da göçmenleri kimlik arayışına sürüklemekte ve çoğu zaman da kimlik bunalımına yol açmaktadır. Konuyla ilintili olarak, ünlü kültür teorisyenleri Stuart Hall ve Homi Bhabha'nın kimlik kavramı üzerine olan düşüncelerine değinilecektir. Kısacası bu çalışmada, Hanif Kureishi'nin Varoşların Budası (1990) adlı romanına değinilerek göçmenlerin kimlik bunalımı ve sorunları incelenecektir. Ayrıca, Britanya'daki göçmenlerin hayatta kalabilmek için ırkçılık vb. sorunlara karşı ne gibi savunma mekanizmaları geliştirdikleri ve yakın gelecekte bu sorunların çözülüp çözülemeyeceği sorusuna yanıt aranacaktır. Bu çalışmada diğer bir amaç da Hanif Kureishi'nin son dönem 20. yy. Britanya'sının daha kapsamlı bir portresini okuyuculara sunmaktır. Anahtar Kelimeler: Hanif Kureishi, Varoşların Budası, kimlik bunalımı, çokkültürlülük, Britanya'daki göçmenler. Çalışma Türü: Olgu Sunumu

Usama Zahid

This research will explore the issue of identity in postcolonial literature. In the modern world with the increase of immigrant numbers, hybrid nations, and constitution of countries with different cultural diversities the question of identity came to the surface. The research will present discuss those theorists arguments about the issue of identity in postcolonial world and how they viewed and presented their ideas about constructing identity in former colonized countries and immigrants from these countries who suffered from facing the diasporas and the dilemma of the difficulty to construct their identity. The paper will investigates postcolonial novelists especially writers in former British colonies such as V.S.Naipaul, Sam Selvon and Tayeb Salih. As postcolonial theorists considered the issue of identity as one of its essential discussion, novelists also exposed and expressed the conditions of identity crises that emerged in postcolonial period. The method will undertake applying postcolonial theories on works of the above mentioned novelists.

Scholarly Research Journal for Humanity Science & English Language

Dr. Ankita Chaudhary

This research will explore the issue of identity in postcolonial literature. In the modern world with the increase in immigrant numbers, hybrid nations, and the constitution of countries with different cultural diversities the question of identity came to the surface. The research will present and discuss those theorists' arguments about the issue of identity in the postcolonial world and how they viewed and presented their ideas about constructing identity in former colonized countries and immigrants from these countries who suffered from facing the diasporas and the dilemma of the difficulty to construct their identity. The paper will investigate postcolonial novelists, especially writers in former British colonies such as V.S. Naipaul, Sam Selvon, and Tayeb Salih. As postcolonial theorists considered the issue of identity as one of its essential discussions, novelists also exposed and expressed the conditions of identity crises that emerged in the post-colonial period. The method will undertake to apply postcolonial theories to the works of the above-mentioned novelists.

Magdalena Stawicka

Hello-Teen Society

Jounal of ELT and Education (JEE)

Culture usually shapes our values, morals, habits, thinking, social relations, and living patterns. But identity crises are mostly encountered by the immigrants nowadays as the sheer outcome of cultural clashes. We all know that immigrating to another nation is a typical occurrence in today's society. In recent years, people have been moving from one nation to another in search of a brighter future. Every year, a large number of individuals migrate from South Asia to the Western world. They have a common experience abroad, regardless of their native nation or class. They have issues with language, culture, ritual, cuisine, and, most importantly, their identity in a new nation. As a result, a person’s transition from one culture to another is a traumatic experience. Some people adapt well to culture shock, while others have a strong desire to return to their cultural roots. They are caught between their hometown's cultural identity and the new environment. Immigrant difficulties are a source of concern for many authors throughout the world. The current study looks at the subject of identity crisis through cultural tensions depicted in Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake and Monica Ali’s Brick Lane. In their books, Jhumpa Lahiri and Monica Ali, both international writers, address the issue of immigration. The purpose of this study is to analyze the difficulty faced by immigrants in other countries when both first and second-generation immigrants confront cultural conflicts and choose to remain in the middle.

International Journal on Studies in English Language and Literature

Afaf Al-Saidi

RELATED PAPERS

Arivaldo Leão de Amorim

Journal of Polymer …

Omar Abdel Moneim Abou El Seoud

Rental HT Termurah dan Terpercaya, WA 085755797923

Sewa H T Tulungagung

Procedia Computer Science

3o. Seminário em História Política e Cena. A política do fazer e o fazer político da cena.

Vanessa Teixeira de Oliveira

Cynthia Villarreal-Garza

Journal of Evolutionary Biochemistry and Physiology

Nikolay Goncharov

Natural Science

Ali Bux Mahar

Conflict, Justice, Decolonization

Piotr Pawel Skora

Agence française de développement (Afd) - Rapports techniques , No.67.

Jalal Al Husseini

American Journal of Ophthalmology

Hassiba Oubraham

Sustainability in Environment

mahammed ahmed

Revista mexicana de ciencias geológicas

Jeny Alejandra Grajales

hrcak.srce.hr

Tea Rogic Musa

Ophthalmology Retina

David Birch

Erni Febrianti

Organohalogen …

Roland Verhe

加拿大SFU毕业证书制作 办理西蒙弗雷泽大学毕业证书成绩单修改

Innovation in Aging

Avantika Vashisht;

Jurnal Penelitian & Pengembangan Pendidikan Fisika

Dayana Papini Borges Ribeiro Dayana

Journal of Clinical Investigation

Leena Haataja

Journal of Molecular Structure: THEOCHEM

M. Z. kassaee

THE TURKISH ONLINE JOURNAL OF DESIGN, ART AND COMMUNICATION

Zohreh Torabi

Marine Policy

Quentin Grafton

•   We're Hiring!
•   Help Center
• Find new research papers in:
• Health Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Academia ©2024

Okonkwo’s Identity in “Things Fall Apart” Essay

It remains evident that the culture has a vehement influence on the personality and traits of an individual (Heillriegel and Slocum, 38). In this case, the identity is connected to the perception of being the part and attachment of the significant cultural group (Littlejohn and Foss 90).

In turn, it could be assumed that the vehement feeling of connection to the particular culture influences perceptions and identity of an individual about the place of his/her culture in the world due to the distortion of the personal identification and inability to see his/her culture from the different angle.

The primary goal of this essay is to define the influence of the connection of cultural history to one’s identity and determine how the sense of identity modifies the perception of the culture based on the analysis of Okonkwo from Things Fall Apart by Achebe. In the end, the conclusions are drawn.

As was mentioned earlier, culture has a strong influence on the personal identity of an individual due to the cultivation of particular qualities. The studies reveal that the representatives of different cultures have different perceptions of the world, as the cultures focus on the significance of the particular traits (Eap et al. 630). People have a tendency to follow the cultural principles, as it is considered as a commonly accepted social norm.

The traces of this phenomenon can be noticed in the book Things Fall Apart by Achebe, which portrays the story of Okonkwo, who is the leader of the tribe (Achebe 20). Nonetheless, it remains evident that Okonkwo is the production of the society, which has to face the conflict of interests between historical and cultural aspects (Whittaker and Msiska 80). In this instance, the culture of the region plays an essential role in the formation of Okonkwo’s personal traits, as the power of culture cannot be underestimated.

Nonetheless, the cultural identity determines the position of the culture in the world in the eyes of the individual. The individuals tend to view the world from a different perspective, and their personal traits, which are influenced by the culture, determine this vision. Speaking of the tragedy of Okonkwo, the leader of the tribe is located in between the controversial perceptions of the world in the context of the book Things Fall Apart (Achebe 20).

In this instance, his perception of the world experience changes, but the cultural influence still has dominating positions in his perceptions of the world and the structure of society. It could be said that the cultural identity has a vehement effect on the position of the culture in the world in the eyes of the individual due to the cultivation of particular qualities. In the end, the role of the culture while forming the perception of the world cannot be underestimated, as Okonkwo was not able to overcome the power of his tradition.

However, the misconceptions and distortion occur due to the inability to accept the changes and monitor the position from a different angle. One of the tragic examples of an adverse impact on cultural identity is the tragedy of Okonkwo. Okonkwo is the head of the tribe, which is often depicted as a tragic hero (Booker 202). In the context of the story, he plays the role of an individual, who is able to unite all the members by the portrayal of his identity (Booker 202).

Being in between the cultures is the primary cause of his inability to define his position towards the traditions of his tribe, as he seeks the ways to protect his culture and overwhelmed with it simultaneously. The perceptions of his traditional culture cause the distortion in his mindset, as he is not able to adapt to the changes in the flow of life. In this instance, being in between his cultural dogmas and controversial perception of the world causes the distortion of his personality since cultural history has a strong influence on his life.

In conclusion, it remains evident that there is a wide variety of the example, which underline the fact the cultural history and personal traits are interdependent. Okonkwo’s example revealed that the individual’s personality could be distorted by the inability to define his position in the world and see the place of his culture from a different perception.

It could be said that despite being able to spot the change, Okonkwo was not able to entirely adapt to the modifications due to the strong power of culture. In this case, it remains evident that the power of culture cannot be underestimated due to its ability to control the perceptions of the individuals about the position of culture in the world and affect the individual traits of one’s personality.

In turn, the culture also the distortion of the personality, as one is not able to entirely define whether his position was determined by the culture or by personal understanding. A similar situation occurred with Okonkwo, as he was placed in between the controversial opinions, which did not correspond with either side.

Works Cited

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. London, Penguin Random House, 2013. Print.

Booker, Keith. The Chinua Achebe Encyclopedia . Westport: Greenwood Press, 2003. Print.

Eap, Sopagna, David DeGarmo, Ayaka Kawakami, Shelley Hara, Gordon Hall and Andra Teten. “Culture and Personality among European American and Asian American Men.” Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology 39.5 (2008): 630-643. Print.

Heillriegel, Don, and John Slocum. Organizational Behavior . Mason: South-Western Cengage Learning, 2009. Print.

Littlejohn, Stephen, and Karen Foss. Theories of Human Communication . Belmont: Thompson Wadsworth, 2006. Print.

Whittaker, David, and Mpalive-Hangson Msiska. Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. London: Routledge, 2007. Print.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2020, May 9). Okonkwo's Identity in "Things Fall Apart". https://ivypanda.com/essays/okonkwos-identity-in-things-fall-apart/

"Okonkwo's Identity in "Things Fall Apart"." IvyPanda , 9 May 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/okonkwos-identity-in-things-fall-apart/.

IvyPanda . (2020) 'Okonkwo's Identity in "Things Fall Apart"'. 9 May.

IvyPanda . 2020. "Okonkwo's Identity in "Things Fall Apart"." May 9, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/okonkwos-identity-in-things-fall-apart/.

1. IvyPanda . "Okonkwo's Identity in "Things Fall Apart"." May 9, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/okonkwos-identity-in-things-fall-apart/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Okonkwo's Identity in "Things Fall Apart"." May 9, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/okonkwos-identity-in-things-fall-apart/.

• Colonial Discourse in "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe
• Patriarchy and Masculinity in Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”
• Writing Tools of "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe
• Literary Genre of Existentialist Novel
• The Most Realistic Character in "The Iliad" by Homer
• The Archetype of Sacrifice in Literature
• "The Language of Blood" by Jane Jeong Trenka
• Greek Mythology - Medea by Euripides

Erik Erikson: Identity Crisis – Explained with 1000 Words

Abstract : The term ‘identity crisis’ was coined by psychoanalyst Erik Erikson who drew experiences from his own life in formulating the theory. He laid down eight phases of psychosocial development of the individual personality. Identity crisis is a phase in this development and usually occurs during the period of adolescence. There are two types of identity crisis- identity deficit and identity conflict. James Marcia developed four identity statuses according to which an individual’s degree of identity formation could be recognized. The resolution of this crisis is finally dependent on the subjective actions of the individual though social factors such as social support, peer groups, family and other social institutions play a significant role in channelling self-identity towards particular directions.

Erik Erikson: Identity Crisis

Erik Erikson was an American psychologist and psychoanalyst who coined the term ‘identity crisis’. He was mentored by Anna Freud, daughter of Sigmund Freud and a psychoanalyst herself. Erikson is best known for his book ‘Childhood and society’ where he introduces the eight stages of psychosocial development which is an extension of Freud’s theory as well as the concepts of identity crisis and role confusion. Erikson’s mother remarried and his original father was never revealed which meant that he always had a troubled identity with regard to his surname until he changed it to Erikson, a surname he created.

The Development of Identity

Erikson describes identity as a self-image comprising a sameness of character and a strong belief in maintaining that sameness in all social interactions. Like Sigmund Freud , he too believed in the stagewise development of individual personality. He laid down eight stages of personality development, the adolescent stage (around 12-18 years of age) being the one most prominent in determining the identity of the individual. In each of these phases, the individual develops certain qualities or virtues if they are able to encounter their circumstances optimally.

However, he emphasised on the social aspect of individual development rather than the sexual aspect as Freud did. Moreover, he argued that individuals developed their personalities throughout their lives in stages and adolescence was not the climax of development as Freud had stated.

However, it is in the adolescent phase that the question of identity crisis occurs so we will first state the previous stages of development in brief. In the infancy stage (0-1.5 years), the optimum virtue is hope while the two extremes are basic trust and mistrust. So, an infant who is conditioned optimally in this stage will learn to hope to trust without being naive or distrustful. In the early childhood phase (1.5-3 years), the child develops willpower on successfully balancing the concepts of complete autonomy and independence as opposed to shame and incompetence. In the preschool phase (3-5 years), the child learns to take initiative by doing things by themselves. If the child is not given the space to make these decisions, he/she develops guilt and a lack of confidence. The optimum virtue in this stage is developing a sense of purpose in one’s life. The school age (5-12 years) is the phase where a child begins to recognize their strengths and weaknesses and the need to develop certain areas. If encouraged, they develop confidence and competency while restriction and humiliation from elders and friends will result in a sense of inferiority. From 12-18 years is the phase of adolescence though Erikson never emphasised on the rigidity of time periods for development stages. Rather, he believed that the journey from phase to another was a transition instead of jumping across clear boundaries.

Adolescence and Identity formation

The phase of adolescence is when the child begins to seek individuality. Individuality comprises a sense of uniqueness and developing a self-image according to one’s own inclinations. Every experience in this stage impacts one’s development of self-identity. The individual now begins to question the meaning of life, the function of society, their role and purpose in it and so on. One who has successfully achieved the virtues in the previous stages is likely to attain a coherent sense of self-identity and purpose in one’s life. This will allow them to fit into society and face adulthood confidently. On the other hand, a lack of meaning and inability usually results in a negative identity formation. Erikson pointed out that association with groups, gangs and cults encouraging negative values such as chaos, nihilism and violence resulted in role confusion. Role confusion is the inability to maintain and fit in the roles given to one in society. For instance, one may not want to become a dutiful son who takes care of his parents but start an independent life instead. It comprises the constant feeling of uncertainty, indecision, lack of confidence and a nihilistic approach to life. His views coincide with Howard Becker’s labelling theory which also states that when an individual deviates from social norms, he/she is labelled and stereotyped. Stereotypes are often associated with stigma which means that social support is withdrawn from the individual. This drives the individual to seek deviant groups where he/she finds others of similar dispositions. Deviant support groups only increase the deviant tendencies of the individual making him/her prone to antisocial tendencies and actions.

Stages of Identity Making

James Marcia, a clinical psychologist furthered the theory of identity formation by laying down four statuses of identity: foreclosure, diffusion, moratorium and achievement. Identity foreclosure refers to the commitment to an identity without exploration. The individual growing up in a conservative household, a conformist lifestyle may merely inherit an identity imposed upon him/her by others around him/her. Although they will have an identity, often of a stubborn nature, it will not contain the element of uniqueness. An identity crisis may occur for such individuals when they grow disoriented with their established ways of life due to some reason. Identity diffusion occurs when the individual neither explores nor commits to any identity. This is a transitory phase, as per Marcia, as individuals will at some point have to face their uncertainty and thereby move to the moratorium status or slip into depression and other mental illnesses resulting from an existential crisis. In the moratorium phase, the individual undergoes a crisis and actively explores possibilities for their identities simultaneously. On successfully overcoming the crisis, an individual achieves a strong sense of self-identity internally. Marcia believed that these identity statuses were cyclical in nature and an individual may experience repeated deconstruction and creation of new self-identities throughout their lives. While Erikson lays down adolescence as the age of identity formation and the development of a crisis in its absence, Marcia completes his theory by stating that such a crisis may reoccur later in adulthood resulting in a mid-life crisis. This also implies that identity is subjective and a concrete self-identity for one individual may turn out to be disorienting for another individual who seeks a different kind of identity. For instance, one’s parents may be satisfied with their inherited identity comprising conservative beliefs and ethics but one might want to be sceptical of old values and wish to explore new possibilities of living.

Types of Identity Crisis

As Jurgen Habermas described, there are two types of identity crisis. One is identity deficit and the other is identity conflict. In the former, the individual faces a motivational crisis and struggles to establish personal goals and values. The existentialist philosophy brings up the concept of free will which would require one to break out of all conformities and establish their own unique identities thus creating a chance of facing an identity deficit even if for a temporary period of time. In an identity conflict, the individual has multiple commitments and evolving a concrete identity would require the rejection of some commitments in favour of others. For instance, Charles Darwin was recorded to have been in a severe conflict (involving physical disorder) in choosing between his identity as a Christian and publishing ‘On the Origin of Species’ which refuted the biblical origin of humans from Adam and Eve. Resolution of identity crisis is ultimately dependent on the subjective experiences of the individual undergoing the crisis. They may seek professional help during such crises but only they can imbibe certain meanings and values in their lives which they feel appealing or inclined to.

In contemporary society where exploration of our inner lives is being constantly encouraged, we must be ready to not only confront our existing identities but also undergo the process of seeking and crisis to find a synchronised identity for ourselves. Also, we must be able to face life not as a linear narrative but as a cyclical repetition of experiencing, learning, deconstructing and creation.

References:

• Baumeister, R. F., Shapiro, J. P., & Tice, D. M. (1985). Two kinds of identity crisis. Journal of personality, 53(3), 407-424. Two kinds of identity crisis (umontreal.ca) . Accessed on 25 August, 2022.

Sounak Banerjee

I graduated in Sociology from Hindu College, Delhi. I love reading almost anything and watching movies, especially art and indie films. You can find me on Instagram at @sounak_01

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Hamlet Madness — Madness And Identity Crisis In Hamlet

Madness and Identity Crisis in Hamlet

• Categories: Hamlet Hamlet Madness William Shakespeare

About this sample

Words: 1913 |

10 min read

Published: Mar 18, 2021

Words: 1913 | Pages: 4 | 10 min read

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr. Karlyna PhD

Verified writer

• Expert in: Literature

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

1.5 pages / 763 words

2 pages / 820 words

7 pages / 3216 words

3.5 pages / 1580 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Hamlet Madness

In Shakespeare’s text, Hamlet, madness is represented as the inability to act. For instance, Hamlet is unable to act as Claudius takes his rights to the throne though Hamlet is the rightful heir. It seems that any time hamlet [...]

Madness can be defined as a severely disordered state of the mind usually caused by a mental disorder. Madness can arise in people who endure traumatic experiences and stress and cannot find a way to control their behaviour. In [...]

The play, The Tragedy of Hamlet The Prince of Denmark, follows the story of Hamlet shortly after his beloved father’s murder. Hamlet learns that Claudius, his stepfather and uncle, poisoned his brother and the ghost of his [...]

In William Shakespeare's timeless tragedy, 'Hamlet' the titular character embarks on a treacherous path of feigned madness. Hamlet's decision to adopt an appearance of lunacy throughout the play has captivated audiences and [...]

William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is a timeless tragedy that explores the complex theme of madness. At first glance, madness in the play may appear as mere eccentric behavior, but upon closer examination of the characters, it [...]

Tennessee Williams’s play, A Streetcar Named Desire, illustrates the struggle of power between economic classes and the changes taking place in America at that time, regarding social status. The constant tension between Blanche [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

• < Previous Event
• Next Event >

Home > Conferences and Symposia > Young Historians > 2024 > 1

Young Historians Conference 2024

Immigrant Identity Formation, A Transnational Approach: Italian Americans in New York City, 1880-1930

Presenter Information

Amelia J. Vena , Grant High School Follow

5-3-2024 12:30 PM

5-3-2024 1:45 PM

• Disciplines

Italian Americans, Repatriation, Transnationalism, Ethnicity, Identity (Philosophical concepts) -- Social aspects, Immigrants -- 19th century, Immigrants -- 20th century

Of the Italian immigrants arriving in America during the Great Migration (1880-1924), few understood themselves as “Italians.” On paper, Italian unification took place in 1861, but the creation of Italy as a unit of politics was not the creation of Italians as a unit of nation. Even decades later, immigrants landing in New York City understood themselves in regional terms—as Calabrians, Sicilians, and Neapolitans. “Italian national identity” remained an idea confined to the imaginations of wealthy and educated Italian nationalists. In the years that followed the Great Migration, immigrants reshaped Italian-American identity as they grappled with American ideas of race and national belonging. Here, a transnational analytical framework is applied to the study of Italian-American identity formation to understand how the social and economic connections migrants forged between their hometown villages and overseas enclaves transformed experiences of identity. From the strictly regional affiliations immigrants arrived with, Italian ethnic identity was redefined by transnational experiences of nation into something truly novel, an immigrant identity that produced vivid experiences of feeling Italian-American.

Part of the panel: Exploring Global Cultural Identities Moderator: Professor Bright Alozie

Creative Commons License or Rights Statement

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/41765

Since May 07, 2024

Included in

History Commons

Advanced Search

• Notify me via email or RSS
• Featured Collections
• All Authors
• Schools & Colleges
• Dissertations & Theses
• PDXOpen Textbooks
• Conferences
• Collections
• Faculty Expert Gallery
• Submit Event
• Faculty Profiles
• Terms of Use
• Feedback Form
• Young Historians Conference

Home | About | My Account | Accessibility Statement | Portland State University

Privacy Copyright

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Guest Essay

‘The Seeds Had Been Planted. Trump Didn’t Do It Himself.’

By Thomas B. Edsall

Mr. Edsall contributes a weekly column from Washington, D.C., on politics, demographics and inequality.

Over the past 30 years, authoritarianism has moved from the periphery to the center, even the core, of global politics, shaping not only the divide between left and right in the United States but also the conflict between the American-led alliance of democratic nations and the loose coalition of autocratic states including Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.

Marc Hetherington , a political scientist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and a co-author of “ Authoritarianism and Polarization in American Politics ,” has tracked the partisanship of white voters in this country who are in the top 15 percent on measures of support for dictatorial rule.

Replying by email to my inquiry, Hetherington wrote:

In 1992, those whites scoring at the top of the authoritarianism scale split their two-party vote almost evenly between Bush and Clinton (51 to 49). In 2000 and 2004, the difference becomes statistically significant but still pretty small. By 2012, those high-authoritarianism white voters went 68 to 32 for Romney over Obama. In both Trump elections it was 80 to 20 among those voters. So from 50 Republican-50 Democrat to 80 Republican-20 Democrat in the space of 24 years.

The parallel pattern of conflicting values and priorities that has emerged between nations is the focus of a paper published last month, “ Worldwide Divergence of Values ” by Joshua Conrad Jackson and Dan Medvedev , both at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. The two authors analyzed data from seven studies conducted by the World Values Survey in 76 countries between 1981 and 2022.

Jackson and Medvedev found that over those years, “Values emphasizing tolerance and self-expression have diverged most sharply, especially between high-income Western countries and the rest of the world” and characterized this split as a clash between “emancipatory” values and values of “obedience.”

I asked Medvedev whether authoritarianism represents the antithesis of a regime based on emancipatory principles, and he wrote back, “It certainly does seem that authoritarian regimes tend to reject values that we categorize as emancipative.”

He said he would prefer to use the word “traditional” but “that’s just my preference — I don’t think it’s incorrect to use ‘authoritarian.’”

Jackson and Medvedev found that “the rate of value divergence” could be determined using seven questions producing “the highest divergence scores.” Those were:

(1) justifiability of homosexuality, (2) justifiability of euthanasia, (3) importance of obedience of children, (4) justifiability of divorce, (5) justifiability of prostitution, (6) justifiability of suicide and (7) justifiability of abortion.

I wrote Jackson and Medvedev, asking about this divergence:

There has been a lot of speculation lately about new global divide pitting democracies led by the United States against a coalition including China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. Does this divide show up in your data on values differences between countries? Are there values differences between democratic countries and autocratic countries?

“The short answer is yes,” Jackson and Medvedev wrote back and provided a detailed analysis in support of their reply.

Their data shows that the citizens in authoritarian countries tend to “believe that homosexuality and divorce are not justifiable” while those living in the United States, Japan, Germany and Canada “tend to believe that homosexuality and divorce are justifiable and disagree that obedience is an important value to teach their children.”

More important, Jackson and Medvedev found that over those years, Russia, China and Iran have moved in an increasingly authoritarian direction while the democratic countries have moved in an emancipatory direction.

“These cultural differences were not always so stark; they have emerged over time,” Jackson and Medvedev wrote. “These two groups of countries are sorting in their emancipative values over time. For example, Russia and the United States used to be quite similar in their values, but now the United States is closer to Germany in its values, and Russia is closer to Iran.”

There is a debate among scholars of politics over the level of centrality that authoritarianism warrants and the forces that have elevated its salience, especially in American politics, where high levels of authoritarianism are increasingly linked to allegiance to the Republican Party.

What is clear is that authoritarianism has become an entrenched factor in partisan divisions, in global conflicts between nations and in the politics of diversity and race.

Rachel Kleinfeld , a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment, wrote that the embedded character of authoritarianism in America “is like a barnacle attached to our affective polarization, a side effect of a political realignment being run through the uniquely polarizing effects of our first-past-the-post, winner-take-all system and primary structure.”

In an email, Kleinfeld argued that the Great Recession played a pivotal role in stressing the importance of authoritarianism in American politics:

In 2008, the financial crisis created a great deal of anger and a desire for more government intervention. At the same time, an identity revolution was taking place in which group identity gained increased salience, especially in America. Together these movements opened space for a political realignment: a long-dissatisfied group of voters who were pro-economic redistribution, but only to their “deserving” group, found political voice. These “more for me, less for thee” voters who hold left-wing redistributive economic ideas and socially conservative views formed Trump’s primary base in 2016, and moved firmly into the Republican camp in 2020.

The two-party system in the United States, Kleinfeld contended, strengthens authoritarianism by failing to provide a vehicle specifically dedicated to the agenda of the disgruntled electorate. As a result, these voters turned en masse in 2016 to an autocratic leader, Donald Trump, who, in his own words, became their “ retribution .”

This newly mobilized, angry electorate, Kleinfeld continued, is “not choosing the antidemocratic behavior — they are choosing their tribe, and the behavior comes with it. Authoritarian behavior is happening in America, not in Europe, because of our political structures.”

In support of her argument, Kleinfeld cited a January report issued by the Democracy Fund, “ Democracy Hypocrisy : Examining America’s Fragile Democratic Convictions,” that shows how Americans can endorse democratic principles and simultaneously support autocratic behavior by fellow partisans.

Among the report’s conclusions:

While a vast majority of Americans claimed to support democracy (more than 80 percent said democracy is a fairly or very good political system in surveys from 2017 to 2022), fewer than half consistently and uniformly supported democratic norms across multiple surveys.

Support for democratic norms softened considerably when they conflicted with partisanship. For example, a solid majority of Trump and Biden supporters who rejected the idea of a “strong leader who doesn’t have to bother with Congress and elections” nonetheless said their preferred U.S. president would be justified in taking unilateral action without explicit constitutional authority under several different scenarios.

About 27 percent of Americans consistently and uniformly supported democratic norms in a battery of questions across multiple survey waves, including 45 percent of Democrats, 13 percent of Republicans and 18 percent of independents.

In contrast to an overwhelming and consistent rejection of political violence across four survey waves, the violent events of Jan. 6, 2021, were viewed favorably by many Republicans. Almost half of Republicans (46 percent) described these events as acts of patriotism, and 72 percent disapproved of the House select committee that was formed to investigate them.

While much of the focus on authoritarianism in the United States has been on Republican voters, it is also a powerful force in the Democratic electorate.

In their 2018 paper “ A Tale of Two Democrats : How Authoritarianism Divides the Democratic Party,” five political scientists — Julie Wronski , Alexa Bankert , Karyn Amira , April A. Johnson and Lindsey C. Levitan — found that in 2016 “authoritarianism consistently predicts differences in primary voting among Democrats, particularly support for Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders.” More specifically, “as a Democrat in the Cooperative Election Study survey sample moves from the minimum value on the authoritarianism scale to the maximum value, the probability of voting for Clinton increases from 0.33 to 0.76.”

Wronski and her colleagues determined that “Republicans are significantly more authoritarian than Democrats” but “the variation in authoritarianism is significantly higher among Democrats than Republicans.” Put another way: The level of authoritarianism among the top half of Democrats is almost the same as it is among Republicans; the bottom half of Democrats demonstrates lower levels of authoritarianism than all Republicans.

One of the more intriguing discoveries is that growing racial diversity activates authoritarianism.

In their 2017 article “ Racial Diversity and the Dynamics of Authoritarianism ,” Yamil Ricardo Velez and Howard Lavine , political scientists at Yale and the University of Minnesota, determined that racial diversity “magnifies the political impact of individual differences in the psychological disposition of authoritarianism.”

“In white areas with minimal diversity, authoritarianism had no impact on racial prejudice, political intolerance and attitudes toward immigration,” they wrote. “As diversity rises, however, authoritarianism plays an increasingly dominant role in political judgment. In diverse environments, authoritarians become more racially, ethnically and politically intolerant and nonauthoritarians less so.”

Velez and Lavine defined authoritarianism as

a stable propensity concerned with minimizing difference and maximizing the “oneness and sameness” of people, ideas and behaviors or, more simply, as a preference for social conformity over individual autonomy. The worldview of authoritarians stresses conformity and obedience, as well as the belief that too much individual autonomy — and diversity in general — will result in social rebellion and instability of the status quo.

Authoritarians, Velez and Lavine wrote, “find diversity threatening, and they react to it with increasing racial resentment, anti-immigration beliefs and political intolerance. By contrast, nonauthoritarians react to diversity by becoming more politically tolerant and by embracing African Americans and immigrants.”

As issues “related to race and ethnicity, crime, law and order, religion and gender” have gained centrality, according to Velez and Lavine, “two fundamental changes have occurred in the nature of partisanship.”

The first is the creation of “an alignment between political identity and authoritarianism, such that high authoritarians have moved into the Republican Party and low authoritarians have moved into the Democratic Party.”

The second is that “the notion of partisan identities as social identities — defining what Democrats and Republicans are stereotypically like as people — has intensified, leading the two partisan groups to hold increasingly negative feelings about each other.”

As a result, the authors argued:

given that authoritarianism is (a) strongly linked to partisanship and (b) activated by ethnoracial diversity, it is likely that some of the “affective polarization” in contemporary American politics can be traced to authoritarianism. That is, perceptions of “us” and “them” have been magnified by the increasing alignment between party identification and authoritarianism.

Ariel Malka , a political scientist at Yeshiva University, contended in an email that there are further complications. “Public attitudes in Western democracies,” Malka wrote, “vary on a sociocultural dimension , encompassing matters like traditional versus progressive views on sexual morality, gender, immigration, cultural diversity and so on.”

Recently, however, Malka continued:

some evidence has emerged that the anti-immigrant and nativist parts of this attitude package are becoming somewhat detached from the parts having to do with gender and sexuality, especially among younger citizens. Indeed, there is a meaningful contingent of far-right voters who combine liberal attitudes on gender and sexuality with nativist and anti-immigrant stances.

What do these trends suggest politically? According to Malka:

As for how this relates to democratic preferences, citizens who hold traditional cultural stances on a range of matters tend, on average, to be more open to authoritarian governance and to violations of democratic norms. So there is some basis for concern that antidemocratic appeals will meet a relatively receptive audience on the right at a time of inflamed sociocultural divisions.

I asked Pippa Norris , a political scientist at Harvard, about the rising salience of authoritarianism, and she provided a summary of her forthcoming book, “ The Cultural Roots of Democratic Backsliding .” In a description of the book on her website, Norris wrote:

Historical and journalistic accounts often blame the actions of specific strongman leaders and their enablers for democratic backsliding — Trump for the Jan. 6 insurrection in America, Modi for the erosion of minority rights in India, Netanyahu for weakening the powers of the Supreme Court in Israel and so on. But contingent narratives remain unsatisfactory to explain a general phenomenon, they fail to explain why ordinary citizens in longstanding democracies voted these leaders into power in the first place, and the direction of causality in this relationship remains unresolved.

Her answer, in two steps.

Deep-rooted and profound cultural changes have provoked a backlash among traditional social conservatives in the electorate. A wide range of conventional moral values and beliefs, once hegemonic, are under threat today in many modern societies. Value shifts are exemplified by secularization eroding the importance of religious practices and teachings, declining respect for the institutions of marriage and the family and more fluid rather than fixed notions of social identities based on gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, community ties and national citizenship. An extensive literature has demonstrated that the “silent revolution” of the 1960s and 1970s has gradually led to growing social liberalism, recognizing the principles of diversity, inclusion and equality, including support for issues such as equality for women and men in the home and work force, recognition of L.G.B.T.Q. rights and the importance of strengthening minority rights.

These trends, in turn, have “gradually undermined the majority status of traditional social conservatives in society and threatened conventional moral beliefs.”

Authoritarian populist forces further stoke fears and exploit grievances among social conservatives. If these political parties manage to gain elected office through becoming the largest party in government or if their leaders win the presidency, they gain the capacity to dismantle constitutional checks and balances, like rule of law, through processes of piecemeal or wholesale executive aggrandizement.

For a detailed examination of the rise of authoritarianism, I return to Hetherington, the political scientist I cited at the start of this column. In his email, Hetherington wrote:

The tilt toward the Republicans among more authoritarian voters began in the early 2000s because the issue agenda began to change. Keep in mind, so-called authoritarians aren’t people who are thirsting to do away with democratic norms. Rather they view the world as full of dangers. Order and strength are what, in their view, provide an antidote to those dangers. Order comes in the form of old traditions and conventions as well. When they find a party or a candidate who provides it, they support it. When a party or candidate wants to break from those traditions and conventions, they’ll oppose them. Until the 2000s, the main line of debate had to do with how big government ought to be. Maintaining order and tradition isn’t very strongly related to how big people think the government ought to be. The dividing line in party conflict started to evolve late in the 20th century. Cultural and moral issues took center stage. As that happened, authoritarian-minded voters, looking for order, security and tradition, moved to the Republicans in droves. When people talk about the Republicans attracting working-class whites, these are the specific working-class whites that the G.O.P.’s agenda attracted. As such, the movement of these voters to the G.O.P. long predated Trump. His rhetoric has made this line of conflict between the parties even sharper than before. So that percentage of high-scoring authoritarian voters for Trump is higher than it was for Bush, McCain and Romney. But that group was moving that way long before 2016. The seeds had been planted. Trump didn’t do it himself.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here's our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .

Thomas B. Edsall has been a contributor to the Times Opinion section since 2011. His column on strategic and demographic trends in American politics appears every Wednesday. He previously covered politics for The Washington Post. @ edsall

Jump to navigation

Conference Reflections on Asian Eco-Culture: Audiovisual Portraits of Ecology Thought

Conference Reflections on Asian Eco-Culture: Audiovisual Portraits of Ecology Thought  

University Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), Getafe Campus- 7-8 November 2024

We are pleased to announce that the proposal submission is now open for the two-days conference Reflections on Asian Eco-Culture: Audiovisual Portraits of Ecology Thought. < http://eventos.uc3m.es/go/ecoasianculture >

The main objective of this conference is to bring together presentations that highlight Asian thinking towards nature and new ways of depicting and producing ecology through audiovisual devices. By Asian thinking, we understand the vision of a global community that transcends Asia and addresses solutions to future challenges on a global scale. This thinking, though in itself stems from Asian cultural roots, is a way of considering humanity as a whole beyond geopolitical borders.

 In this context, it is crucial to consider how the global and Asian perspectives respond to climate challenges given the significant impact of this area, and the enormous influence of different audiovisual devices today. The aim is to bring together academic works that explore images, imaginaries, and concepts that approach nature as an evolving subject, poetic interpretations of the Earth (geo-poetics), or audiovisual responses to the climate crisis. 

This conference is part of a project that is supported by Eurasia Foundation (from Asia) and Instituto Universitario de Cine Español (UC3M). It also involves publication of a compilation book (Springer), that includesa selection of papers presented at the conference.

Date: 7-8November 2024

Location: Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Getafe Campus. 

Language: English

Submissions (free of charge): abstracts (250 words) and brief bio (50 words) can be submitted by website form < http://eventos.uc3m.es/go/ecoasianculture >

Proposals will be reviewed upon submission.

Keynote Speakers: 

Seán Cubitt (University of Melbourne) tbc

Ursula K. Heise (University of California, Los Angeles)

- 30th April 2024: publication of the call for the conference.

- 15th June: publication of the final list of admitted speakers. 

- 7-8th November: holding of the conference. 

- 30th November 2024: admitted papers for the book edition.

- June 1st, 2025: reception of the full texts.  

Questions can be directed to Farshad Zahedi [email protected] ; and Marta Lopera [email protected] .

Themes include, but are not limited to:

  Asian Ecocinema/TV/Videogame:

- Examining the portrayal of environmental concerns in Asian cinema, television or videogames.

- Analysis of how cultural, social, and political factors influence the representation of nature in Asian media.

- Case studies of influential Asian eco-themed films, TV series or videogames and their reception both domestically and internationally.

Mother Nature Imaginary:

- Examining the concept of “Mother Nature” in Asian audiovisual culture.

- Critically evaluating the implications of anthropomorphizing nature and its impact on environmental ethics and activism.

Asian Eco-cosmopolitanism: Redefining the Territory:

- Investigating the emergence of Asian eco-cosmopolitanism and its implications for environmental discourse and activism.

- Exploring how Asian cultures negotiate local and global environmental challenges while maintaining cultural identity.