A looking glass is a mirror through which we perceive
ourselves or a version of ourselves.
And we use this to construct our identities.
What the mirror reflects back to us is generally a reverse image of the true picture.
And this may therefore be symbolic of the endless journey of self-discovery.
It's of course important to note that while we all have identities,
our individual expressions of our identity are distinctive,
and we express our identities in
very particular ways to provide us with a sense of belonging and purpose.
This raises many questions such as what makes one person different to others,
or what makes them the same.
In my own case for example,
I have twin daughters who look and sound the same,
but the two are very different when it comes to the taste in fashion and food.
Other questions relate to the boundaries that surround our identities.
How are these boundaries kept intact?
How are they challenged,
resisted, or even transformed?
What happens to our identities when we move from one place to another?
So if I use myself as an example again,
then at home my main identities are that of a father and a husband.
And then I come to my place of work here at the university where,
my main identities are those of a lecturer and colleague.
But when I travel to the USA,
the main feature of my identity is that of a foreigner,
a South African on American soil.
This also raises the issue of how having a particular identity,
shapes our relationships with others.
What then are some of the ideas that have created a system in
which some identities are allowed to have more power over others?
Take for instance the relationships between
black and white people in South Africa in the 1950s and 60s,
during the time of apartheid,
where racial segregation was legally binding.
At the time, being a white person gave one a huge advantage over being a black person.
I'm sure that you'll agree that there are a lot of important questions that
many of us are faced with in today's ever-changing, globalizing world.
At this stage, you may be asking,
"so what does all of this have to do with writing?"
Well, in this course,
you will be using your reflections of how your identities are
constructed as a means of learning the skills associated with academic writing.
In other words, you are going to develop
your academic writing skills through writing
and reflecting on your understanding of identity.
And don't worry, we'll be here to guide you every step of the way.
So let's hear the ideas put forth by Kath Woodward who's from the UK.
She will introduce us to particular questions around identity such as,
what it is, how it's formed,
and how much control we actually have over our own identities.
Let's just think about that for a moment.
How can you determine who you are in different contexts?
Can you choose your identity,
and if so when, where, how?
Woodward offers an interesting example of someone with
three different passports and shows how he is identified in each of them,
showing quite clearly the types of questions this raises about identities.
She also talks about the difference between how we identify ourselves,
and how we are identified by others,
and the implications this raises about our actual identity.
And she also reflects on the fact that we reveal
different aspects of our identity to the way we view ourselves,
and through the way in which other people view us.
This becomes evident in the choices we make such as the clothes we decide to wear,
or the way we choose to speak.
One of the points Woodward makes is that constructing
our own identities entails imagining ourselves,
or having visualizations of ourselves,
and acting out corresponding performances.
So the question to ask here is: Does that take away from our core identities?
This is quite a complex issue, isn't it?
Especially since it asks us to consider
which aspects of our identity is most important to us,
or what is it that makes me, me.
Woodward illustrates how it is possible to have single and multiple identities
and demonstrates quite effectively how identities can be viewed as something that's fixed,
fluid, and also changing.
In one of her books,
Woodward asked the following questions: How can we
feel we belong in a constantly transforming, uncertain world?
Can we exercise control in shaping our identities?
Woodward's conception of identity offers much food for thought.
We hope this has provided you with the beginnings
of some ideas towards answering the essay question.
Make some notes for yourself about what we have discussed
around identity and the essay question itself.
In this regard, it's important to define key concepts.
Gideon NomdoLecturer
Aditi HunmaLecturer
