OUGD501. COP Lecture - Identity.

- essentialism -

our biological makeup makes up who we are

physiognomy, phrenology - informs how people read identity. a study of good mental health and where in the brain it occurs. links with the ideas of criminal tendencies being somewhat hereditary. supposedly the straightens of your face dictates how intelligent you are - dated thought because based on caucasian face being straighter. physiognomy legitimises racism. physical features exaggerated in fine art to portray a certain stereotype or identity or to challenge one. post modern thought disagrees with essentialism and theory of human identity made up from biological make up.

- pre modern identity -

personal identity - defined by long standing roles

- modern identity -

modern society offers wider range of social roles

- post modern identity -
accepts a 'fragmented self' identity is contructed.

- physiognomy/phrenology -
dated pseudo-scientific theory of shape of brain and skull in relation to 'scientific' proof of intelligence, personality traits, thought process etc. basically grounds for racism and segregation of race. also related to the theory of criminal tendencies being inherited (genetic) and not due to social factors.

- chris ofili -
black artist who looks at rcism and stereotyping and makes comments on societys attitude and opinion to these topics through his art. uses things like elephant poo to visualise native roots and mocks western thought.

- pre modern identity -
based on social heirarchy (in uk heirarchy of the church and monarchy) - your job title and living conditions deterimed your social status.

- modern identity -
baudeleire introduced idea of the 'flaneur' - the gentleman stroller who walks the city and 'observes' society.

Veblen – ‘Conspicuous consumption of valuable goods is a means of reputability to the gentleman of leisure’

the flaneur was upper class so associated with a style/fashion/outlook/personality - to appear a higher social class lower classes would mimic upper classes in look and dress etc but then upper classes would move away to reaffirm the twos separation and the cycle continues - trickle down theory.

- george simmel - 

 ‘The feeling of isolation is rarely as decisive and intense when one actually finds oneself physically alone, as when one is a stranger without relations, among many physically close persons, at a party, on the train, or in the traffic of a large city’ 

- post modern identity -

considers the 'discourse analysis' - identity is constructed from the discourses culturally available to us. main discourses to be considered - 

these factors along with many other social factors are consiidered to determine and shape ones identity which leads into the theory of otherness. the self is considered to be a series of facades that are objective and not really there. 

Introspection is a disappearing act. Faced with moments alone in their cars, on the street or at supermarket checkouts, more and more people do not collect their thoughts, but scan their mobile phone messages for shreds of evidence that someone, somewhere may need or want them.’

leads into social networking and how people create new identities on line - second life best example.