Identity Formation and Oppression of Muslim Culture
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Identity formation is an intricate notion. It usually is affected in 4 different ways in our society. The micro, meso, macro, and global levels of social interaction all play a key role in identity formation. These levels are always present, however, we may think we define ourselves by our own value or we believe that society plays a role in our own identity formation. We must look at the everyday groups we fall into such as male, female, heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual, freshman, sophomore, senior student, working class, upper middle class, white, black, Christian, Muslim, young, old, foreign, American or many others. These levels closely intertwine to form identity, at the conscious or sub-conscious level, with or without our agreement. I agree with Okazawa-Rey and Gwyn Kirk (2006) in their book titled Womens Lives Multicultural Perspective when they write that, “each of these levels involves the standards–beliefs, behaviors, customs, and worldwide–that people value” (pg.62).
Identity can be most firmly shaped by us at the micro level. In this level we have the power play a significant role in the way we identify with our society. According to Okazawa-Rey and Kirk (2006) the micro level of analysis is defined as the links between people and issues as seen from a personal; or individual standpoint (pg. 62). The individual has the choice to make changes to the way he or she is seen and in what groups of society he/she falls into. We configure our priorities according to our own concern, not allowing social norms to affect this level of identity formation. Okazawa-Rey and Kirk (2006) gives a few examples such as a women attending a counseling session after being raped, losing a parent, and or a professional woman being passed up for promotions that were given to less qualified male employees, they state “these experiences shape each persons ongoing formation of self, whether or not the process is conscious, deliberate, reflective, or even voluntary” (pg.63).
Many life altering events can also affect the way we identify ourselves. People can have a traumatic accident that can leave them physically unable to perform like they used to, or discover something new about their sexual orientation, both of which can drastically affect the way they identify themselves. Becoming a U.S citizen for example can totally change the way an individual sees themselves, because of the negative stigma there is in our culture regarding immigrants.
Dorothy Allison (1993) writes in her essay about her life growing up poor white trash, then moving to south Florida where people had not known her to be poor (pg 83). This move to Florida was a life changing incident which allowed her to begin fresh. She states, “because they did not see poverty and hopelessness as foregone conclusion for my life, I could begin to imagine other futures for myself” (pg 83). Changing locations is often a way to reinvent ones own identity, because no one knows anything regarding your previous life.
The meso level appears to me to be the most challenging level for social identity. In this level we are not only trying to see who we are but we have the added stress of worrying how others will perceive us. This is where society tries to classify us into groups to better understand us or relate with us, or maybe classify us as outsiders. Okazawa-Rey and Kirk define the meso level of analysis as, “a term used to describe the relationships among issues, individuals, group as viewed from a community or local perspective” (pg G-3). At this stage the people we begin to associate with ask us questions like, “Who are you” or “where are you from”. In order to either relate to us or place us outside of the box. The box of what is ok or normal according to societys standards. One key aspect discussed in the book is marginality. Marginality basically means being able to be viewed as an insider by two different groups (Okazawa-Rey and Kirk 2006). A good example of this is when a professor spends a whole summer with students abroad, as he returns back to university life in the fall, he can now relate to students better but still has that connection with faculty. The problem that some people face when this happens is that sometimes they feel they arent accepted in either group. The faculty can see the teacher as another student, because of his new youthful perspective on certain things. The students still cannot fully relate to the teacher because he will always be older and their teacher, seen as an authority figure. The teacher is caught in the middle of these two groups not feeling like he belongs to or is accepted by either. The multiple identities are greater seen in this example. In part he identifies with his colleagues and also with his students. Dorothy Allison explains in her essay how marginality allowed her to see both aspects of the two cultures she had engulfed herself in, in high school and college (Allison 1993).
The meso level also touches on the intermediate level of society, not the personal, but also not the national/global ranks. For example at the community level, such as church, or social groups like bowling leagues, Tupperware groups and so forth. This is where essentialism is seen. Essentialism is when certain specific traits are essential to be accepted into a particular group (Okazawa-Rey and Kirk 2006). This is how people fall into certain groups naturally.
Finally the last level of analysis is divided within itself into two, macro and global. As we all know dominant culture controls the power in society. They determine who is classified in the “in” group, and who is not. The book referenced earlier by Okazawa-Rey and Kirk defines the macro/global level of analysis as issues viewed from the countrywide/worldwide organizational perspective (2006). This level is very touching to me because I did my previous assignment on Muslims and how society oppressed this group mainly at the macro level of analysis. I came to the same conclusion as Dorothy Allison after writing that paper, which was that a select few groups must be oppressed for the majority, or for the “in” group to feel safe (Allison 1993). This creates a false sense of security and unjustly oppresses these groups. As we see in our modern society today, this nation feels it must oppress the Muslim community and treat them like second class citizens in order to feel safe. Safe from “terrorism” a label incorrectly bestowed on them by mass media. By stereotyping this group as “terrorists” the dominant culture is maintaining the system of structural inequalities to keep them oppressed. Via the mass media more people will usually view people of that culture in a negative way, which leads to further oppression in the forms of racism, hate crimes, and unequal treatment