Cultural Identity Among Sudanese Youth

Identity is a group of characteristics, data or information that belongs exactly to one person or a group of people and that make it possible to establish differences between them. The consciousness that people have about themselves is part of their identity as well as what makes them unique. According to psychologists, identity is a consistent definition of one’s self as a unique individual, in terms of role, attitudes, beliefs and aspirations. Identity tries to define who people are, what they are, where they go or what they want to be or to do. Identity could depend on self-knowledge, self-esteem, or the ability of individuals to achieve their goals. Through self-analysis people can define who they are and who the people around them

We are all born the same way into this earth. We are all the same, with the same type of flesh and bones. How do we distinguish ourselves from each other? Well, we have many ways of telling one from another and one way we use is using culture. The difference between other culture is it ideas and moral values. Culture plays an important role in many people lives. Although being part of a multi-cultural society helps understands one’s self and it also helps understand one another cultural view of our world. Many people identity are also created by our belief. My ethnicity isn’t the only thing that defines who I am. It’s also my culture, my environment and my personality who define me.

The idea of cultural identity is your feeling of belonging to a cultural group, the things that separate you from your culture and the things that bring you together with your culture. Even though members of a culture share some beliefs they aren’t exactly the same, this is the concept of cultural identity. These things that separate you from your culture, forge you into a dynamic and productive member of the same culture. My cultural identity represents who I am, if I am a productive member of society or not. It represents how I talk, what religion I am and what things I like to do. My cultural identity is represented by food, generation, nationality, ethnicity, and religion.

Therefore, all these factors are crucial in the process of identity development which occurs as the individual answers questions such as “Who am I? Where am I headed? and What is the meaning of my life? (Newman & Newman, 2012, p.389).” The psychosocial crisis faced during these years is achieving individual identity versus identity confusion. Thus, the individual most pull together the many components of the self into a unified image that can push the person in the direction of positive and significant feats (Newman & Newman, 2012, p.412.) Moreover, a sense of identity provides a deep sense of ideological commitment and allows the individual to know his or her place in the world (Sokol, 2009, p.142). In contrast, identity confusion stems from the individual’s inability to make commitments to any single view of him/herself. He/she may be unable to integrate the several roles they play and may lack confidence in their ability to make meaningful decisions (Newman & Newman, 2012,

In addition to evaluating ethnic identity from a variety of psychological or behavioral perspectives, the article also discusses a number theoretical models for defining ethnic identity. As Phinney & Ong (2007) state, “a clear theoretical model, therefore, is a necessary foundation for all

From the very first lecture we were asked, “How do others, as well as ourselves think and experience identity”. Before delving into how identity is developed, it's important to understand what identity is; according to Professor Weisband, “Our identities,[are] the ways we project ourselves into the world” (Weisband 3). Everyone has multiple identities, which are constructed publically through jobs and commissive choices. Identities, “speak to how a person fits into a social location” and “how we present ourselves to others” (Weisband 19). For example, my identity varies based on who is identifying me, my identity could be a student, a daughter, a friend or a tour guide (my summer job). This isn’t necessarily how I think of myself, but it is

Cultural identity is the feeling of belonging to a group. Part of a person's self conception and self perception. It can reflect on things such as ethnicity, religion, generation, or any social group including family.

That is, one has to be mindful on how to approach individuals with similar features and practices because those individuals might not share the same cultural identity. Forcing a group of individuals in a group is damaging to their identity and is the practice of essentialism. Cultural identity is very difficult to understand because of the difference between national/ethnic identity and identity based on cultural patterns (Golubović 2010). Cultural identity is socially constructed and is used personal. In the U.S, many people use skin tone to determine one’s cultural identity which is wrong. For that reason, The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division states that no one should be judged or discriminated against because of one’s race, religion, nationality, disability, sex, familial status, ethnicity, gender, and culture (The United States: Department of Justice 2000). This law protects one’s civil rights and their identity - whether cultural or personal - who are institutionalized in certain state or local facilities, and prosecutes crimes (The United States: Department of Justice 2000). Hence, one’s cultural identity symbolizes a significant importance to one’s self. One’s identity should not be categorized or determined based on

Every person builds their own identity; Now which one am I ?  We build our identity by every choice we make. Our identity is the image that we project out into the rest of the world as an image and or reflection of ourselves. Identity is something you have after you are born. It is your personality, your ability to do things, your behavior, appearance choices, and beliefs. I myself am the image of a Mother which society sees as caring, lovable, and protectant; but there’s is more to my identity than these two little human beings of mine. I am also women, a student, daughter, wife, and a friend. I am more and I will continue to stretch beyond their childhood when they no longer need me. Who am I? I am part of my family, friends, and society and my

Erik Erikson, a famous American developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst stated that, “…in the social jungle of human existence, there is no feeling of being alive without a sense of identity” (Erik Erikson, 1968). A person’s identity defines who they are as an individual and as a member of society. There are a lot of factors that compose a person’s identity. Although my identity has been affected by many things, there are three key contributors that have been majorly influential on my development as an individual. Firstly, North American

Who are you? The simple question that every icebreaker we play during the first week of school is essentially probing at. But is it really that simple? Most of us answer by saying our name, age, where we come from, maybe even what we like, but do those details really characterize who we are? Do they outline our “identity”? Identity is how we perceive ourselves and what others believe us to be. It involves a set of characteristics that locates us in particular groups, societies, and so forth. These features are the foundations of our identity, but in order to truly develop a sense of identity, it is essential to have a sense of self-awareness. Identity is socially constructed, in a way that once an individual assumes a particular identity, they acquire and exhibit specific social characteristics. Thus once one understands that “who we are” is fashioned by society, they can come to terms with the notion that how we view ourselves and how others see us is not static. Society has formulated a definition for identity and yet it does not take into account the different positions on identity and how it may relate to gender. My standpoint in regards to gender is largely shaped by my social identities, which include my racial and ethnic background, my sexual identity, and my age. These factors, along with my background and personal experiences, define who I am and how I wish the world to see me.

What makes you who you are? What defines you? These questions were asked while examining our identity during the past few weeks. There are many parts to understanding one’s identity by looking at your background and creating an identity centered in Christ. “You spend your life desperately searching for meaning, belonging, and a sense of identity, or you could simply receive your identity from the rue Author of your story…” (Baart and Hielema 11). The quote from VIVID defines about the importance of where one needs to find their identity. This CORE 100 class has allowed us to delve into remembering, describing, and reflecting on our identities.

When examining my own cultural identity it has occurred to me that many of the things that define my own cultural identity are that of Majority groups, however it would seem that I have just as many if not more Minority group identity factors shaping me ever so slightly within the majority boundaries.

Cultural identity is a part of the psychological self-concept that expresses an individual or group’s worldview and perceived cultural affiliations. The first step in finding a societal fit is to establish a cultural identity; this can be on an individual level and group level. Who am I? And where do I belong? These questions start to form in the human mind from an early age; it drives humans to explore their worldviews and how and where they fit in the world. Rosenfeld (1971) argued it is a deep-seated primal process that has ensured our continual survival. By finding others that think and act similarly we are offered some protection (Erickson, as cited in Carducci 2015). Erickson (as cited in Carducci, 2015) and Maslow (as cited in Mcleod 2007) argued that the need to belong is a basic building block of human development. Whatever the reason, the consensus is that humans have an intrinsic need to find a like-minded cultural group to belong to; this chosen affiliation is their cultural identity. A person may identify with more than one cultural

“Who am I? “A question often asked by many individuals, ranging from different backgrounds, cultures and ethnicities. Each individual, in some way or another, is struggling to come to terms with this question and are looking for answers within themselves. However, this simple, yet, complex question, involves more than looking into oneself and evaluating one’s own self- identity. Lately, I have also been wondering about the kind of person I am. Exploring my “Self” and “Identity,” has been a constant battle between the person that I know I am today and the labels attached to my concept of the “Self.” Three major categories that I find relevance in explaining this question, “Who am I?” involves my culture, my religious views and lastly, my views as a twenty-one year-old with my own experiences in life.