Sociology of Identity - Literature review Example

Sociology of Identity Introduction Identity from sociological aspect associates with the integrating the ‘I’ with the ‘we’ which helps link the self to the society in order to identify and sustain one’s identity in a society that is driven by restrictions and regulations, limitations and intimidation of social orders and social institutions. There are personal aspects of identity that seeks to establish who an individual is, what the core and authentic features of self-are how similar or divergent one is from others and what are the perceptions, reports and attitudes of others towards the individual as discussed by Martin & Mendieta (2003). Social aspects of identity on the other hand, entails how individual are able to sustain their self-identities within the framework of social systems and group forces. Identity refers to the state of being oneself and not another by having unique incorporation of aspects and experiences that makes one individual distinct from others within the social grouping as defined by Elliot (2007). Sense of identity constitutes a feeling of inimitability, uniqueness and individuality. According to Elliot (2007), social identity and having a sense of belonging is initiated from the integration of intra group likenesses and inter group differentiations. It is from the attitudes and perceptions of a group that constructs individual identities as identified by LaFleur et al., (2002). It is during identity recognition and perceptions of a group towards others that unethical vices emerge such as discrimination, racism, stereotyping, bullying and prejudice among others. This report compares and contrast the views of two authors on their perspectives on whether white is a racial identity. The report will compare the writings by Tannoch-Bland, J. to cite her work; Tannoch-Bland, J. (1998) ‘Identifying White Race Privilege.’ In FAIRA (eds) Bring Australia Together: The structure and experience of racism in Australia. FAIRA: Brisbane pp. 33-38. Dossier reading 9 and the work of Alice McIntyre, making meaning of whiteness: exploring racial identity with white teachers. Is White a racial identity? Racial identity refers to the racial background that an individual has that they more often identify with. An individual may have more than one cultural or racial background and therefore, most of them select one to identify themselves with that they feel and perceive they relate best to. According to Martin & Mendieta (2003), in a social context, people act, nevertheless their actions exists within the framework of a full range of patterns of action, contacts, relations and reassignments of resources among all individuals that make up the formation and system of society. Discussions on whether white is a racial identity generates intense debate based on which side of the debate one is standing on. Since, one can assess it from the oppressor’s or the oppressed perspectives of which the arguments will be profoundly different since no individual wants to be perceived to be in the extreme of either, that is, entirely oppressed, or utterly the oppressor. Tannoch tackles the issue of whiteness from a completely different perspective by identifying the white race privileges that many white people are oblivious of and may carry on thinking that is how things are supposed to be. While on the other hand, white race privileges that the non-white people are painfully aware and impacted by the white race privileges every hour of the day as they carry out their routine daily activities (Tannoch, 1998). The author highlights forty-seven different white race privileges that the white people in Australia may take for granted that are generated by the mere fact they are white, which the non-whites cannot afford and merely wish they were whites to enjoy. The author emphasizes that white race privileges are invisible, denied, unearned, systemic, and undesirable and that they award dominance of white people over the non-white people (Tannoch, 1998). Tannoch suggests that whiteness is a racial identity that is built more on perceptions and attitudes of both the non-whites who are not endowed with the privileges and the whites, who enjoy the white race privileges. McIntyre on the other hand, assesses white race identity by analyzing how white teachers tackle multicultural education. The author mentions that white teachers teaching multicultural education have little or no knowledge of the experiences of non-white students and thus, their teachings practices reify the myths that cultural or racial differences means cultural or racial deficiencies (McIntyre 1997). According to LaFleur et al. (2002), this stems from the privileged experiences whites would have had growing up, detaching them from seeing themselves as part of a race or seeing racial identity from another lens other than their own. McIntyre suggests that tackling issues of class, individuality, and religious differences is easier for white teachers than tackling issues of racism and racial identities (McIntyre 1997). She adds that effective racial inclusiveness is only possible by addressing the racial identity of the classroom teacher and the system of whiteness, which are the underlying of educational systems since whiteness influences policies, systems, structures, programs and frameworks of education. These sentiments are echoed by Tannoch who mentions that there is need to see racism not as an issue of the oppressed alone, but also an issue for the oppressor. To eradicate racism and offer equal opportunities and equalities for all whites and non-whites entails redesigning social structures by identifying their hidden aspects (Tannoch, 1998). The solutions to embracing racial integration lie in focusing on the silences and the denials embedded on privileges in the social fabric, histories, institutions, policies and systems of societies as highlighted by Roediger (1994). Both Tannoch and McIntyre concurs on the sentiments that white people themselves are very accustomed and used to being beneficiaries of a privileged majority that they no longer identify themselves as to belong to any race. This is illustrated by the fact that many whites see themselves as people with no racial identity, and perceiving racial identity as a social entity that belongs to others. McIntyre highlights that majority of white educators are outcomes of white-based educational systems that puts more emphasis on assessing cultural differences and disregarding racial identities that would help focus on white racism and racial oppression (McIntyre 1997). Whiteness as a race needs to acknowledge that their racial identity does put them high up on the ladder than non-white races and that their whiteness grants them unearned, invisible, systemic privileges that offer them dominance and supremacy over the non-white races. Tannoch and McIntyre plead with the whites to teach themselves and to allow themselves to become aware of the impact whiteness has on other divergent racial identities. McIntyre mention that white educators and white people in general are in denial of their racial identity although non-white recognizes whiteness as such, a racial identity for whites. She references Peggy McIntosh who states that white people are carefully trained not to identity their white privilege and white people think that racism doesn’t impact on them since they are not people of colour which is because they do not see whiteness, as a racial identity as highlighted in McIntyre (1997). This means that whites are far removed from their racial identity based on deeply entrenched ideologies and invisible privileges that they are oblivious of either by default or guilt as suggested by LaFleur et al., (2002). Both literatures correspond on whiteness as a racial identity and cite lack of consciousness by white people about their white racial identity as a limitation for them to perilously assess their positions as racial beings that are connected to the subsistence and continuation of racism as supported by Roediger (1994). McIntyre links this lack of consciousness by white people with denying white people the experience of perceiving themselves as beneficiaries of racism, which are at the expense the disadvantaged non-whites, and in so doing liberating them for being accountable for eliminating racism (McIntyre 1997). According to Roediger (1994), there are varied models that have been established to explain the white racial development meant to conceptualize the process through which white people understand and identify their racial identity. The underlying fact in all the available theories on white racial identity development is that a white individual advances through a progression continuum of statuses on varied levels, where they are dealt with issues of being white and the meaning of whiteness in modern society as highlighted by Pope-Davis et al. (1999). Among white racial identity development theories include Janet Helm’s white racial identity scale model and Rowe Bennet and Atkinson 1994 model of white racial identity development among others. McIntyre suggests that effective multicultural education by white teachers and the ability of white teachers to become creators of their white racial identity can only occur by fostering dedication to critically examining whiteness, teaching themselves about correlation between their white racial identity and continuation of racism in the society and developing effective solutions to racism based not on the oppressed perspectives, but also factoring in the white race advantages and privileges (McIntyre 1997). Tannoch is quick to note that although privileges are not wrong and they foster comfort ability, sense of belonging and self confidence, they present two major problems that are not every person especially non-white are accessible or enjoy them and there are some privileges that nobody should have but white people do (Tannoch, 1998). They includes the privilege of whites to be blissfully ignorant about power inequality, freedom to belittle apprehension, neglect, sensitivities, experiences, histories, cultures and ideals of people from other cultures and varied racial identities whereas other cultures or non-whites must thoroughly be familiar to white culture. She mentions that undesirable privileges systemically endowed to white raced people grant them authority and dominance without giving them moral strength. This leads them to become racial oppressors to the non-whites by being unmindful, ignorant, rude, critical, tactless, paternalistic and condescending to the disadvantaged groups as highlighted by Pope-Davis et al. (1999). Tannoch implies that detachment of white people to their racial identity is not only destructive to them as a race rationally, emotionally and ethically which leads to immense social costs. But also, it enhances racial segregation and alienation by other races, distortion of their understanding on humanity (Tannoch, 1998) and living in constant fear of alleged ‘brutality, deficiencies, evil and hostility’ of other cultures or races. This creates an illusion that the white race is constantly being attacked by other races or cultures, stemming from their frustrations of their racial identities, notions that are partially misguided and misplaced. Conclusion Identity refers to the state of being oneself and not another by having unique incorporation of aspects and experiences that makes one individual distinct from others within the social grouping that initiates a sense of identity that constitutes a feeling of inimitability, uniqueness and individuality. Through identification of self, one knows who they are, where they stand and what their roles are in a society. Through social identity, racial identities are constructed. The report has compared and contrasted literatures on whiteness written by Tannoch and Alice McIntyre. Both authors agree white is a racial identity but they emphasizes that white people do not see themselves as such. References Elliot, A. 2007. Concepts of the Self. London: Polity. LaFleur, N.K., Rowe, W., & Leach, M.M. 2002. Re-conceptualizing white racial consciousness. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, vol. 30, pp. 148- 152. Martin, L. & Mendieta, E. (eds). 2003. Identities: Race, class, gender and nationality. Blackwell: London. McIntyre, A. 1997. Making meaning of whiteness: exploring racial identity with white teachers. London: SUNY Press. Pope-Davis, D. B., Vandiver, B. J., & Stone, G. L. 1999. White racial identity attitude development: A psychometric investigation of two instruments. Journal of Counseling Psychology, vol. 46, pp. 70-79. Roediger, D.R. 1994. Towards the abolition of whiteness: essays on race, politics, and working class history. New York: Verso. Tannoch, B. J. 1998. Identifying White Race Privilege. In FAIRA (eds) Bring Australia Together: The structure and experience of racism in Australia. FAIRA: Brisbane pp. 33 38. Dossier reading 9. Read More