1.3 Who Am I?

Should nation be the foundation of identity?

Big Idea:

  • The relationship between identity and nation

Identity

Your identity is shaped by several factors and it can be expressed in several ways. As individuals our identities are unique, but we also have an identity within the groups and communities to which we belong. Your values, beliefs, and behaviours reflect who you are and where you belong.  Your identity might consist of elements from your family, your job or workplace, your hobbies or passions, or your values about the world. You have a unique personality and appearance.

What are some factors that influence your identity? How do you show the world who you really are?

  • Language (the name of the language, such as English or French, as well as the accent and vocabulary you use)
  • Traditions (such as celebrations, the way you do things in your daily life)
  • Religion and/or Spirituality (the religious group of which you are a part, as well as your beliefs related to religion and spirituality)
  • Abilities (such as musical, athletic, mechanical, artistic, or organizational)
  • Skills and interests (the arts, hobbies, passion projects, extracurricular activities)
  • Clothing (your appearance)
  • Biology (such as features you have inherited from your parents)
  • Role Models (your 'heroes')
  • Geography and/or relationship to environment (whether you live in a city or on a farm, on the prairies, the coast, or in the North; you may have a spiritual connection to the land, or you may be concerned about the environment)
  • Ideology (your acceptance or pursuit of a particular doctrine or belief about, for example, politics)

"Who am I?" is a loaded question with many different answers. Depending on a variety of factors, one's identity changes and evolves over time. View one exploration of the question "Who Am I" through the vlogbrothers' video below (0:19 to 1:26).



Identity and Culture

You learned about culture in junior high, but culture is a very broad term with many aspects. Often, the term "culture" is mistakenly associated with one's ethnicity, or being from a different country. In fact, one dictionary has 160 meanings for culture!

In Social Studies, culture has the following meanings.

  • Culture is a way of life. Culture is the sum total of ways of living built up by a group of people, transmitted from one generation to another. It includes what you do every day, how you think, and your views of the world.

  • Culture is the system of beliefs, assumptions, sentiments, and perspectives that members of a group have in common and demonstrate in customs, routines, roles, and rituals.

  • Culture is a defining feature of identity, contributing to how we see ourselves and the groups to which we belong. Every community, cultural group, or ethnic group has its own values, beliefs, and ways of living.

Some aspects of culture, such as food, clothing, celebrations, religion, and language are seen, heard, and/or tasted, but these are only part of a person's cultural heritage. The shared values, customs, and histories of a culture shape the way a person thinks, behaves, and views the world. A shared cultural heritage bonds the members of a group and creates a sense of belonging.

Reflect

Your identity is unique, but your membership in a larger group is also an important aspect of your identity. This larger group may contribute to a culture to which you belong, and that is part of your identity.

  • People do not live in isolation. They are part of many groups, each with its own identity.  What does identity have to do with nation? What "groups" do you belong to? How does belonging to these groups impact your identity and who you are?


Tip Whenever you encounter these Reflect sections, take notes to brainstorm ideas about what you've just read or viewed. If there is no Notebook Organizer provided, take notes using your own methods (and if you need help taking notes, click on the following Tutorial: How to Take Notes).