How Do Others See Me? How Do Others See Me?

How Do I See Myself ? How Do I See Myself ?

William De La TorreWilliam De La TorreCalifornia State University, California State University,

NorthridgeNorthridgeFall 2009Fall 2009

Identity: “Who Am I”?Identity: “Who Am I”?

Other people are the mirror in which we see are ourselves Other people are the mirror in which we see are ourselves (Cooley, 1922).(Cooley, 1922).

Norton (2000). defines identity as “how a person understands Norton (2000). defines identity as “how a person understands his or her relationship to the world, how that relationship is his or her relationship to the world, how that relationship is constructed across time and space, and how the person constructed across time and space, and how the person understands possibilities for the future” (p.5).understands possibilities for the future” (p.5).

Students need to learn to negotiate identities in their different Students need to learn to negotiate identities in their different social worlds, in large part by developing linguistic and social worlds, in large part by developing linguistic and sociocultural competences that afford them access to engaging sociocultural competences that afford them access to engaging in social opportunities for participation and having that in social opportunities for participation and having that participation participation recognizedrecognized by others (Norton, 2000). by others (Norton, 2000).

Identity: “Who Am I”?Identity: “Who Am I”? Nature identity (being Asian or Latino)Nature identity (being Asian or Latino)

Institutional identity (being a teacher or Institutional identity (being a teacher or student)student)

Discourse identity ( as a result of interaction)Discourse identity ( as a result of interaction)

Affinity identity (being a Mecha student or tech Affinity identity (being a Mecha student or tech geek)geek)

-Gee -Gee (2000:99)(2000:99)

Identity: “Who Am I”?Identity: “Who Am I”?

Identity is experienced and will be mediated by Identity is experienced and will be mediated by other dimensions of oneself:other dimensions of oneself:

Male/female, young/old, middle/working class,Male/female, young/old, middle/working class,

black/white, lesbian/bisexual/heterosexual,black/white, lesbian/bisexual/heterosexual,

Christian/Muslim, language, Christian/Muslim, language, digitaldigital, political, , political, national, and cohort national, and cohort historicalhistorical reference reference (Tatum, 1997; Lee & Anderson, 2009).(Tatum, 1997; Lee & Anderson, 2009).

The Conditions & Identity The Conditions & Identity

FormationFormation

We do not choose the conditions under which we form our We do not choose the conditions under which we form our identity.identity.

We have no choice but to become ourselves under the We have no choice but to become ourselves under the conditions that positions us in conditions that positions us in determinatedeterminate relations to relations to others.others.

Positioning in social structures such as, class, gender, Positioning in social structures such as, class, gender, race, sexual orientation, and age condition individual lives race, sexual orientation, and age condition individual lives by enabling and constraining possibilities of action, by enabling and constraining possibilities of action, including enabling relations of superiority and deference including enabling relations of superiority and deference between people (Iris Marion Young, 2000).between people (Iris Marion Young, 2000).

Power Relationships & Power Relationships & IdentityIdentity

According to Tatum, dominant groups, by According to Tatum, dominant groups, by definition, definition, setset the the parametersparameters within which the within which the subordinates operate. subordinates operate.

Social relationsSocial relations for example, between whites and for example, between whites and people of color, is determined by unequal people of color, is determined by unequal relations of power and authority. Therefore, relations of power and authority. Therefore, racial boundaries are set by a dominate group racial boundaries are set by a dominate group and subordinate groups’ identities are formed and subordinate groups’ identities are formed within unequal relations of power. within unequal relations of power.

Who determines what folks get jobs, whose Who determines what folks get jobs, whose history is taught in schools, whose history is taught in schools, whose culture is culture is recognized, affirm, and validated by societyrecognized, affirm, and validated by society..

Community/Family Cultural Community/Family Cultural IdentityIdentity

How did Montoya’s mother prepare her to How did Montoya’s mother prepare her to negotiate the Anglo world in her New negotiate the Anglo world in her New Mexico community during the 1950s?Mexico community during the 1950s?

Did you have similar masking experiences Did you have similar masking experiences as Montoya (family & school)?as Montoya (family & school)?

Does masking exemplified by Montoya Does masking exemplified by Montoya become the way people of color and women become the way people of color and women as well as others avoid the labels and sting of as well as others avoid the labels and sting of cultural inferiority? cultural inferiority?

Identity: Passing or CoveringIdentity: Passing or Covering If you were to die and had a chance to be If you were to die and had a chance to be

reborn. Who would you came back as? Why? reborn. Who would you came back as? Why?

How did President Franklin Roosevelt deal How did President Franklin Roosevelt deal his identity as disable person ? his identity as disable person ?

IndividualIndividual as well as as well as groupsgroups of people try to of people try to avoid the hurtful negative labels attached to avoid the hurtful negative labels attached to race, class, gender, sexual preference, and race, class, gender, sexual preference, and disability. What happens if you choose to disability. What happens if you choose to cover your identity?cover your identity?

President Franklin President Franklin RooseveltRoosevelt

Identity & Cultural Identity & Cultural MarginalizationMarginalization

We make up selves from a tool kit of We make up selves from a tool kit of options made available by our culture and options made available by our culture and society. We do make choices, but we do society. We do make choices, but we do not determine the options among which not determine the options among which we choose. (Anthony Appiah, 1994). we choose. (Anthony Appiah, 1994).

Montoya reinvents her identity by Montoya reinvents her identity by repositioning her Latina cultural and repositioning her Latina cultural and history as a way to begin the journey for history as a way to begin the journey for who she can become. who she can become.

Identity from the MarginIdentity from the Margin

"Yo soy Boricua! Yo soy Africano! I "Yo soy Boricua! Yo soy Africano! I ain't/ lyin'. Pero mi pelo is kinky y ain't/ lyin'. Pero mi pelo is kinky y curly y mi skin no es negro pero it can curly y mi skin no es negro pero it can pass . . ."pass . . ."

~Willie Perdomo, “Nigger-Reecan Blues” ~Willie Perdomo, “Nigger-Reecan Blues”

Willie PerdomoWillie Perdomo

Forced Culture and Forced Culture and Language AssimilationLanguage Assimilation

It hurts not only are most vulnerable citizens It hurts not only are most vulnerable citizens but our most valuable commitments.but our most valuable commitments.

Our commitment against racism is about Our commitment against racism is about equal respect for all races.equal respect for all races.

We are not fulfilling that commitment if we We are not fulfilling that commitment if we only protect racial minorities who conform to only protect racial minorities who conform to historically white norms (Yoshino, 2006).historically white norms (Yoshino, 2006).

““Anglo-conformity” is white supremacy under Anglo-conformity” is white supremacy under a different guise (Milton Gordon, 1964a different guise (Milton Gordon, 1964).).

Identity & ResistanceIdentity & Resistance

Montoya repositions her identity through Montoya repositions her identity through the idea of Mestizaje. the idea of Mestizaje.

Montoya is no longer a passive subject Montoya is no longer a passive subject who masks her true Latina identity. who masks her true Latina identity.

Montoya is an Montoya is an active agent resistingactive agent resisting the the

negative cultural labels as she states, negative cultural labels as she states, “Our rebraided ideas, the trensas of our “Our rebraided ideas, the trensas of our multicultural lives, offer personally multicultural lives, offer personally validating interpretations for the validating interpretations for the mascaras we mascaras we choosechoose to wear.” (p. 60) to wear.” (p. 60)

Identity and ResistanceIdentity and Resistance To be an To be an agent agent means that you can take means that you can take

the constraints and possibilities that the constraints and possibilities that condition your life and make something of condition your life and make something of them in your own way. (Iris Marion them in your own way. (Iris Marion Young, 2000)Young, 2000)

People of color , women, and gay/lesbian People of color , women, and gay/lesbian people choose the following options to people choose the following options to form their identity: masking, unmasking, form their identity: masking, unmasking, pass/cover, accommodate, and assimilate pass/cover, accommodate, and assimilate into or resist mainstream culture.into or resist mainstream culture.

People of Color & Cultural People of Color & Cultural CapitalCapital

Pierre Bourdieu (1986) dominant cultural capital Pierre Bourdieu (1986) dominant cultural capital has three forms:has three forms:

Embodied-taste, music, art--socializationEmbodied-taste, music, art--socialization

Objectified-books & artwork—knowledge of upper Objectified-books & artwork—knowledge of upper classclass

Institutionalized-professional success-credentials & Institutionalized-professional success-credentials & degreesdegrees

Dominant cultural capital = Dominant cultural capital = economic & social gaineconomic & social gain

People of Color & Cultural People of Color & Cultural CapitalCapital

Cultural Capital for people of color has Cultural Capital for people of color has both instrumental and expressive both instrumental and expressive purposes.purposes.

Procure legitimacy among racial peersProcure legitimacy among racial peers Allegiances to their cultural backgrounds Allegiances to their cultural backgrounds

and heritagesand heritages Maintain a double consciousness (Du Bois Maintain a double consciousness (Du Bois

1903)1903) Awareness of their varied social positions Awareness of their varied social positions

and their sense of purpose in the world.and their sense of purpose in the world.

Teachers & Students’ Identity & Teachers & Students’ Identity & Academic AchievementAcademic Achievement

Gloria Ladson-Billings (1994) refers Gloria Ladson-Billings (1994) refers to teachers who taught African to teachers who taught African American students as “dream American students as “dream keepers” because they have an keepers” because they have an understanding of both the student’s understanding of both the student’s cultural orientationcultural orientation and their and their abilities and because they keep abilities and because they keep these students on a steady path of these students on a steady path of achievement. achievement.

Identity and Academic Identity and Academic Achievement Achievement

As a future urban school teachers what As a future urban school teachers what concerns do have about students’ racial concerns do have about students’ racial and ethnic identity related to academic and ethnic identity related to academic achievement?achievement?

Does a teacher’s presuppositions & Does a teacher’s presuppositions & assumptions about students’ racial and assumptions about students’ racial and ethnic identity influences the academic ethnic identity influences the academic achievement of their students? Why? achievement of their students? Why? why not? why not?

Complexities and Multifaceted Complexities and Multifaceted IdentitiesIdentities

A women is of Mexican and Chinese ancestry; she A women is of Mexican and Chinese ancestry; she

was born in France. And she immigrated to thewas born in France. And she immigrated to the

United States at a young age; she holds American United States at a young age; she holds American

citizenship and speaks only English; she received citizenship and speaks only English; she received

remedial math instruction in middle school but remedial math instruction in middle school but

scored perfectly on the SAT math section; she is a scored perfectly on the SAT math section; she is a

professor; she also is a mother, a wife, a sister,professor; she also is a mother, a wife, a sister,

and a daughter; finally, she practices Chinese and a daughter; finally, she practices Chinese

cultural customs.cultural customs.

Complex and Multifaceted Complex and Multifaceted IdentitiesIdentities

What identities would or could this What identities would or could this person have?person have?

Which identities matter, in which Which identities matter, in which contextscontexts

With what consequences, as defined With what consequences, as defined by whomby whom