Hybridity
Def. The combination/mixture of identities including culture, race and tradition
Increasing forms of hybridity which because more complex and chosen
Linked to globalisation and increasingly influences or the mass media so share a global culture such as McDonalds
Why They Form?
Different forms of identity overlap in migrant population and new forms of ethnicity emerging as a result
Represent a historical transformation as changing identity
Changes are unique because they are negotiated as a predictor discussion
Reflect power relationships
Winston James (1993)
Experience a racism unified the culture of African-Caribbean in UK
Black people had cultural differences based on their island of origin and may have divided based on skin colour
Hierarchy of colour imposed by colonialism
However, in UK common grew, organised the label black as a resistance to racism
Ian Condy (2006) – Hip Hop in Japan
Locally producing new form of music based on a mixture of different cultural influence
Suggestive or a far more active role for individuals in relating resources to shape identity
Jacobson (1997)
Young Pakistani are adopting a strong Islamic identity in terms of others religious practices, dress and diet so they form a defence and resistance to marginalised and racism
Johal (1998)
Asians communities are adopting hybrid identities
White mask-dual identity
2ND or 3RD generation British Asian were forming a dual identity
Inheritance an Asian identity but adopting a British one
Created a white mask whenever they interact with white peers
Hybridity often suggest belonging to multiple worlds at the same time so plural worlds is pick and mix identities in postmodern societies
However previously considered ethnic identity may becoming more hybrid
Ethnic minorities and those of white British origin are all influenced by each other and media
Ethnic hybridity not simply a mix between 2 cultures but how many studies suggested its more complex process
Beck
New hybrid identity found that they are not fixed
Young people play when different cultural masks and different styles
Code Switch
Involves behaving one way when around peers and acting another when with family
Often based around ethnic issues and conflict in home
Portrayed in films
Contemporary Hybridity
Modern society, ethnic identities undergo frequent maintains, change and development
Happens under influence of 2 main processes
Mass Immigration Cultural Immigration
Where different ethnic groups physically meet so individuals able to see the differences identities and styles Where agencies bring increasing exposure to different cultural influences – so mass media has made it possible for people to consume products
The family
Important for construction and maintained of ethnic identity in terms of the cultural markers
THOR:
T = Traditional and customs so involves a range a unique cultural practice that mark one ethnic group from another so shared language and shows values which shows education
H = History as the family contributes to maintained of unique ethnic identities by drawing on a range oral histories and testimonies about shared experiences
O = Origins involves country of origin geographic location which suggest first generation immigrants use the family group to maintain previous ethnic identity in force of changed geographic and cultural situation
Socialisation of Ethnic Identity
Family
Ghuman (1999) outlined some of the family or primary socialisation practices found in many Asian Families in UK
– Children are brought up in obedient and loyal to and respectful to their elders and community
– Arranged marriage, based on negotiation with one’s parent is generally accepted by the majority of young people
– Respect for religion Is still considered to be important
– Mother tongue is seen crucial in maintaining links between generations and in the transmission of religious values
Children tend to bilingual and often use mother language
– Strong sense of obligation to the elderly and extended kin such as Dench et al. show importance of the extended family for Bangladeshi family living in east London
Reynolds (2004) found African-Caribbean family life in UK produced a strong transitional African-Caribbean identity among young people
Her research indicated that collective and individual pride as achieving by maintaining close family ties with extended kin living in Caribbean by offering family members mutual economic and social supports
Education
Studies in Indian and Chinese children indicate the importance of educational success to family and ethnic identity
There is evidence that ethnic identity can be undermined by aspects of the hidden curriculum such as studies of curriculum content suggest their knowledge taught is ethnocentric
The contribution of Black and Asian culture to history, literature, science, mathematics and so either rendered largely invisible or reduced to special occasions such as black history month
Other aspects of the hidden curriculum are the expectations that teachers might have regard to ethnic groups
Sewell argues that entrepreneurship or hustling as masculinity is regarded as more important than academic achievement by African Caribbean mainly boys and treat them unfairly
This may account for the black boys are more likely than any other social group to be excluded from school
Media
Sociological evidence that people have little or no experience of living alongside ethnic minorities often rely on media for information
Evidence suggest that ethnic minorities are represented in stereotyped and negative ways
Van Dijk conducted a content analysis of tens and thousands of news items and found the news representations disproportionality focused on them as criminal, a threat
Some sociological studies focused on the role of black music mainly hip hop and rap music in developing and reinforcing black identity
Best and Kellner argue that rap music gives young black people how they can communicate anger about racism mainly police harassment, but also economic and social deprivation experienced
They also argued that these celebrate misogyny, violence, materialism and greed
Religion
Some schools are faith schools they have been set up by specific religious groups – Christian, Jewish, Muslim and so on to promote and ethnic identity underpinned by values and practices
Most faith schools in Britain is church schools. These schools are supposed to follow official guidelines about equal opportunities and teaching of tolerance for others
However, fears have been expressed by law that faith schools furnish children with narrow, intolerant, uncritical and patriarchal ethnic identities which reject normal way
Strong relationship between religion and ethnicity
For Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Indian and Jewish groups religion is the most influential agent outside the family
Islam has a strong impact on young Pakistani and Bangladeshi identity in terms of diet, worship, dress, behaviour and everyday routines and practices
Some sociologists such as Jacobson have suggested that some young Pakistani see being Muslims a more important
Suggest that this is a defensive identity which may compensate for the lack of power experienced
Peer Group
A concept that has become more central to sociological understanding of the influence is cultural comfort zone which is people from similar social background tend to cluster together
Sewell used this concept in his study on why black boys fail at school and get into gangs, came up with 3 reasons:
1. Must deal with dominant mainstream culture such as middle class which are focused on achieving academic success – school environment is outside comfort zone
2. Often anxious about how they are perceived by their peers many come from one parent families as fathers leave, behaviour is admired and encouraged in comfort zone so acting white
3. Cultural comfort zone helps preserve and develop coping strategies to help overcome the dominance of white culture. Helps compensate them a strong sense of rejection that they feel due to fathers
Workplace
Some can be found in high status and high earning jobs such as medicine, but a disproportionate number are employed ion low skilled and minimum wage pay
Hudson et al noted that low paid ethnic minority workers experience a range of discriminatory barriers which prevent them from improving their work place position
Often experience bullying and harassment from unsupportive management
Unemployment levels are also disproportionately high
Evidence suggest that unemployment can have significant long term and negative effects on identity in terms of stress