Identity

Key thinkers in discourse about "Self"

Descartes "Passions of the Soul" (1649) Hobbes "Leviathan" (1651) Locke "Essay Concerning Human Understanding" (1960) Rousseau "Discourse on the Origin and Foundation of Inequality"

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David Hume 1998 Quote

"the mind is a bundle or collection of different perceptions which succeed one another with an inconceivable rapidity and are in perpetual flux and motion"

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John Locke's Assumption About Identity

That we are able to sustain a continuous identity even though our personalities, affiliations, and roles change. This is idealistic. Identities are equated with 'unity of life' (Alasdair MacIntyre).

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Marxist Notion of False Consciousness

That we are able to remake ourselves / discover our true selves over time. The possibility of transformation suggests deeper layers of mind, and as such identity cannot represent our core essence.

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Social Identity Theory

Created by Turner and Tajfel (1986). "Even in absence of power, the creation of groups triggers discrimination against out-groups. The desire to feel good in your group causes discrimination."

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Epistemology Definition

The way we know things / how we arrived at description (it is like that because of the way we look at it)

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Ontology Definition

The way things are / descriptions (it is like this because that's how it is)

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Realist Conception of State

Views the state as solid, clearly delineated, black box / billiard ball analogy. It is an atomistic ontology. Sovereignty is supreme power over a certain territory. The more powerful, the more autonomous.

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Liberalist Conception of State

View the state as made up of complex internal composition. Highlights political / cultural / commercial linkages across state borders. States are not closed but multi-facetted.

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Constructivist Conception of State

Identity is at the centre. Assumes there is no fixed identity and focuses on the process of identity formation. How a sense of self is defined in relations to other states in the system is important. Collective identity within the state, forms the st

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Three Ways to Gain Sense of Self

1 - Cognitive (mental frames to organise complexity into meaning) / 2 - Moral (we are more stable with moral framework e.g. religion) / 3 - Emotional (pride/shame/anger etc.)

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'Anxiety Controlling Mechanisms' Definition

Coined by Anthony Giddens - about the desire to control and have meaning in the world. We create meaning through cognitive/moral/emotional mechanisms.

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Three Ways of Defining Other

1. Other is Enemy – an adversary to physically fight against 2. Other is Backwards – underdeveloped like a child. Can it learn and be socialised? 3. Other is Located in History – our own past to escape from, ‘we are not like that anymore’

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Three Stigma Management Strategies

1. Stigma Recognition (e.g. Germany) 2. Stigma Rejection (e.g. Austria) 3. Counter-Stigmatisation (e.g. Cuba)

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Germany and 'Stigma Recognition' Case Study

After WWII Germany was stigmatised by Nazis. Germany dealt with this by accepting the stigma and embracing international cooperation/ human rights / democracy. Much self-bashing.

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Austria and 'Stigma Rejection' Case Study

In 2000 Austria elected a far right party which caused many EU states to freeze relations. However Austria insisted it had not breached EU regulations, and sanctioning them undermined their democratic system. This lead to embarrassment for the EU.

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Cuba and 'Counter-Stigmatisation' Case Study

USA was unable to mobilise audience of normals against Cuba, which led to the stigmatisation of the USA and Cuba occupying higher moral ground for being separate from the USA.

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Four Stages of Stigma Imposition

1. Labelling out social difference 2. Labelling is linked to stereotypes 3. Social labels connote separation 4. Labelled person experiences status loss and discrimination

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3x Wrong Assumptions About Identity

1 - We are able to sustain out identity throughout our lives / 2 - Our identities are unique / 3 - We have the potential to remake ourselves.

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USA-China Self/Other Case Study

America believes China is a knowable object whose reality can be empirically revealed. However this is not a value free, objective description. The USA believes itself to be ethnocentric, and they need an ‘other’ to fill the void of threat.

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Malcolm X's Negative Other-ing Quote

“The only thing that made him acceptable to the world was that the shrewd capitalists, the shrewd imperialists, knew that the only way people would run toward the fox would be if you showed them a wolf. So they created a ghastly alternative.”

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3 Dimensions to Friendship in IR

1. Language of friendship 2. Practises (e.g. giving access to private information) 3. Emotional dimension (e.g. positive emotional connection)

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3 Dimensions to Friendship in IR

1. Language of friendship 2. Practises (e.g. giving access to private information) 3. Emotional dimension (e.g. positive emotional connection)

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Types of Power in Friendship

• Productive power internal to friendships • Interdependence (power over) • Unless friendship in crisis then power over corrosively • Outside friendship, discrimination • Power to ignore international rules (invasion of Iraq, closed affirmation loop)

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USA-UK-Chagos 'Special Relationship' Case Study

The ‘special relationship’ is not just two equal partners, but involved a disaffected third, the Chagos Islands – a subaltern. UK and US have mutually benefitting (nuclear help) relationship, but Chagos is very unequal.

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France’s Historic Mission in Sub-Saharan Africa Case Study Post-Colonial

Disproportionate aid to Africa is a part of French foreign policy. Education is France’s duty, it has an historic mission of aiding Black Africa, despite it being very one way and not receiving much back from Africa.

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Spain & Latin America Case Study Post-Colonialism

Spain’s relationship is 200+ years old with Latin America, and the metaphors are of a patriarchal family with Spain as the mother. Just like a mother, once her children are married she does not cease to be a mother. Spain did profit, but only long-te

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Britain and Commonwealth

Popular during WWI, and where independence did not mean severing ties – it transformed the empire into something more modern. However reproduction of cultural aspects such as sport, English language etc. Reaffirms what it means to be British.

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Feminism in Postcolonial Relationships (Cynthia Enloe)

feminist IR theory shows the gendered basis of international structures, discourses of authority, sovereignty ...the family metaphor constructs post colonial relationships as domestic, paternalistic and dedicated to reproduction.

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Identity

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