Tma03 Dd101 Essay

953 Words4 Pages
Examine the argument that social identities are often characterised by inequality. Introduction There are many ways to look at identity and what it means for us as an individual and as a social group. A Social identity is given by connections to other people and social situations. Some of these identities are given to the immediate situation which is liable to change. However it’s when others choose an identity for an individual or a group because of their circumstances that we get negative value identity or in equal identity. As people we all have an identity, the most simple of which is personal identity, this is your individual knowledge of who you are, but there are many more identities to consider. We construct our identities by what we do, where we go, people we interact with. A social identity is both an individual-a specific person and group identity referring to others whether different and the same. Identities relate to each and every person; however a lot of social identities are characterised by inequality. An early example of this was feminists who wanted to improve the way in which women live, vote and how they were paid. Women were seen as the inferior race this also being known as a collective identity. This was a category placed upon all women. The issue at hand being equality and different identities. Collective identities refer to difference as well as being alike; relationships are not always so equal and can become damaging as with a winner looser concept. Identities often then are given by others in society which are out of place and carry a negative value identity. Homeless people are a good example of this as Jonathan Raban has shown us with his initial visit to New York in the 1980’s. Raban found that there were a large number of homeless people living on the streets but what interested him was the way they were
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