Cultural identity refers to the sense of belonging to, or identification with a specific group or region based on different cultural factors such as ethnicity, nationality, gender, race, and religion. It is initiated and sustained through collective interaction and sharing of knowledge and ideas related to aspects like language, traditions, norms, heritage, and customs. Usually, individuals identify themselves with some cultural groups, but cultural identity is a complex and multilayered concept. While researchers have resorted to identification with cultural groups to be clear and steady, most people currently associate it to appropriate and dependent upon progressive and spatial changes. Cultural identity is becoming globalized due to the current rise in intercultural interactions which is propagated, nurtured and sustained through communicative practices.
The concept of cultural identity has been used in communication to examine communicative means and practices as the outcomes and constitutive essentials of cultural identity. Scholars have played a crucial role in ensuring the spread of cultural knowledge in a different aspect of humanities and social sciences and cultural studies (Lingling, 189). Through the scholars, I have learned that cultural identity come about interaction with other groups on their cultural heritage, customs, language, and norms. Initially, my thought about cultural heritage was that it was a natural concept that happened naturally.
Cultural identities such as gender, age, class, nationality, race or ethnicity spiritual and personal identities determine the manner in which our culture is oriented — for instance, the way in which different gender dress themselves. Initially, I thought that it was a custom that one is bound to follow. Through the groups, I have come to know that it is all about how we are treated by our parents. The manner in which male and female children are given different treatments like being dressed differently, different communication as well as being engaged individually brings out the aspect of masculine and feminine. Similarly, media has influenced our identity about masculine and feminism through tailor-made programs that address only a particular group.
Different cultural groups have been perceived to possess some cultural identities that usually influences other people's culture. For instance, from the pre-colonial period ideology, I believed that African Americans are individuals who do not deserve better things and are associated with wrongdoings. Through communication and interaction with such groups, I have learned that these people can exhibit stronger identities than their ethnic or cultural backgrounds. Conversely, I perceive whites to be associated with class and regional status. Here, I thought I believed that they behave in certain ways when communicating to a particular identity group. Interaction and communication with the group have proved that although people view them to belong to a class, they often interact with anyone who approaches them. Therefore, interacting with these people is interesting as I learned different cultural identities such as their languages, traditions, norms, and customs.
Different disciplines generally influence cultural identity, but I feel communication and interaction have dramatically changed my cultural identity. I say communication and interaction because from the moment communication is initiated, there are higher chances of exploring one's cultural identity. Communication and cooperation, primarily through media platforms have enhanced my cultural identity because things that happened a long time ago can be informed and I learn about them (Lahti, 21). Therefore, when I meet people and realize that we have several in common than not, I consider them just like normal individuals. I keenly focus on their behaviors because they all have their places. As such, they have different things and story to share, and through that, cultural identity is spread.
Despite the significance of culture in defining our identity, as well as our future, its explanation continues to suggest many. While many perceive culture as an inclination to materials by certain groups, others see it as the intangible beliefs and norms which controls their behaviors. Undeniably, culture is a complex and subjective make-up that become adopted and therefore play a crucial role in defining our particular identities. Thus, cultural identity is an expression of our central system of relationship, religion, ethnicity, and race, while interrelating with the social, economic and political world we live. Hence, cultural identity reflects the extent we feel attached to a particular cultural group. Since cultural identity formation is a subject to evolution and influenced by both internal and external forces, an argument could be that people from the dominant cultural groups experience a comparatively easy and unvaried shift into their self. Undeniably, people who explore different parts of the world may at a point find difficulties and conflicting interests, identities and practices.
Globalization has dramatically influenced the spread of culture to different places making it transferrable. This aspect of transferability has come with great implications regarding nationalism and racism since the obvious differences easily become the point of tension (Jensen et al., 285). Different cultural norms usually result in communication barriers between the interacting parties. For instance, in the United States, it a norm that one makes direct eye contact when speaking to someone, an entirely different case in Asian and African countries where direct eye contact is a sign of disrespect to an individual or authority. As a result, norms can act as cultural barriers to communication.
Conclusion
Although cultural identity defines the manner in which one identifies with, or have a sense of belonging to a particular group, one can usually learn other group's cultures. What surprised me is the fact that behaviors can be determined by parents at early stages of development. For instance, the notion of masculine and feminine is defined by the parents who dress their male and female children differently and even buy for them different toys at their childhood stages. Similarly, communication and interaction with people from the diverse cultural group have proved to be the sole way in which cultural divergence can be achieved. Norms applicable in one group cannot necessarily apply to another group. A case in hand is the use of direct eye contact during communication in the United States and most Asian and African countries. Therefore, we should embrace building intercultural competence with other groups so that we can achieve cultural diversity. We can achieve intercultural capability if we engage different groups and interact with them without prior judgment. Although people have different cultural thought about particular groups, the should seek to learn first. Interaction with one from a different culture should be seen as an opportunity of learning new things hence we should take advantage of them.
Work Cited
Jensen, Lene Arnett, Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, and Jessica McKenzie. "Globalization and cultural identity." Handbook of identity theory and research. Springer, New York, NY, 2011. 285-301.
Lahti, Malgorzata. "Cultural Identity in Everyday Interactions at Work: Highly Skilled Female Russian Professionals in Finland." Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies3.4 (2013): 21-43. ProQuest. 9 Dec. 2018.
Lingling, Li. "Urban Villages as Spaces of Cultural Identity: Urban Migrant Writers in the Pearl River Delta." International Journal of China Studies 4.2 (2013): 189-VI. ProQuest. 9 Dec. 2018.
