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Hybrid Identites

Ethnic identities refer to a sense of belonging to an ethnic group and how that shapes one's perceptions and behaviors. In modern society, many argue ethnic identities are becoming hybrid identities through a blending of cultures. Hybrid identities form where different cultural influences overlap, such as in immigrant populations that mix aspects of their original and new cultures. For example, some young people of South Asian descent in the UK blend British and South Asian religious, musical, and other cultural aspects. Additionally, globalization and social media allow easier spread and blending of cultural influences, encouraging hybrid identity formation over fixed ethnic identities. However, some studies found that second generation immigrants still strongly identified with their ethnic cultures while also feeling connected to their new home countries.

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46 views2 pages

Hybrid Identites

Ethnic identities refer to a sense of belonging to an ethnic group and how that shapes one's perceptions and behaviors. In modern society, many argue ethnic identities are becoming hybrid identities through a blending of cultures. Hybrid identities form where different cultural influences overlap, such as in immigrant populations that mix aspects of their original and new cultures. For example, some young people of South Asian descent in the UK blend British and South Asian religious, musical, and other cultural aspects. Additionally, globalization and social media allow easier spread and blending of cultural influences, encouraging hybrid identity formation over fixed ethnic identities. However, some studies found that second generation immigrants still strongly identified with their ethnic cultures while also feeling connected to their new home countries.

Uploaded by

Qazi Qazi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Explain how ethnic identities are turning to hybrid identities.

[10]

Ethnic identities refers to one’s sense of belonging to an ethnic group and the part of one’s thinking
perceptions, feelings and behviuor that is due to ethnic group membership. In the post modernist era
many sociologists argue that ethnic identities are turning into hybrid identities. Hybrid identities are a
product of two or more types of identity where there is a greater flow of ideas and greater movement of
people.

Hybrid identities are created where different forms of idendtity overlap in migrant populations and new
forms of identity emerge as a result with the option to adopt multiple identities dependng on the socisl
context. For example according to Johal young people of south Asian backgorund living in the UK eith
chaances of their of their grandparents being immigrant mix the aspects pf South Asian and British
culture into Brasian. These ‘brasians’ take some religious aspects from their families and blend them
into aspects of the British culture thus forming hybrid identities containing both British and South Asian
identities.

Moreover hybrid identities are forming due to music, clothing, language and diet seen as cultural
elements that are subject to a ‘pick and mix’ approach. Individuals are therefore using certain resources
and aspects from different cultures and backgrounds to shape their identities regardless of their ethnic
identities. For example Ian (2006) argues that just as cmpanies sell products that inform identities,
individuals are also locally producing new forms of music based on a mixture of different cultural
influences . Japan’s vibrant hip-hop scene reveals how a music and culture that originated half way
around the world is appropriated and remade in Tokyo clubs and recording studios.

Identity in the modern era (1950s – 1980s) was much more stable and fixed, based around class and
work. In the post modern era today, however, we have increasing influence of mass media and effects of
globalisation . Due to technological advancements, people can communicate and celebrate differences
more freely and easily through new social media like Facebook and Twitter.Therefore, individuals are
more likely to embrace different aspects of differnent cultures to form hybrid indentities.

Furthermore Modood found a number of generational differences over the issue of identity, suggesting
that second generation minorities from both African and Asian backgrounds felt more British than their
parents while still seeing their cultures as an integral part of their ethnic identity. Postmodernists may
argue that un a globalized media saturated society identity is now more of an individual choice and
hybridity which implies that ethnicity itself is becoming less clear cut and significant.

In addition Garcia Candini focuses on hybrid identities created amongst young people in Latin America
where there is rapid social change. He refers to graffiti and musical fusions, which reflect the
fragmented nature of society.
Conclusively as suggested by most postmodernists ethnic identities are changing towards hybridity in
the contemporary world due to several factors like increasing globalization and the influence of mass
media.

In their study of South Asianidentities Ghazala Bhatti and Tariq Modood viewed the fact that even with
many families migrating abroad their cultural values were still a very integral part of their identity and
although they considered themselves citizens of Britain they kept implying their cultural a part of their
values. All religions and valuable aspects always seemed to be of their identities, therefore not creating
a role conflict as suggested by postmodernists. Even with the deemed increase in hybridity many black
and south Asian families stay true to their ethnic identities thus refuting the claim of post modernist.

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