Essentialist and Post Structuralist Theories of Race and...

Identity Analysis Toward Productive Pedagogies: An Essentialist and Post Structuralist Perspective Race and ethnicity will be used to analyse the central theme of identity from an essentialist and post structuralist perspective. Definitions of race and ethnicity will be presented and distinctions made between the two categories. The character Eva from the film The Freedom Writers will be used as a medium and present an argument that race and ethnicity are social constructs but not absent of essentialist influences. Following a self reflection of my own identity the similarities between Eva and I show a congruence between essentialist perspectives of race and ethnicity to the existence of ethnic tensions and prejudice. In the context of†¦show more content†¦During my childhood years race identity was represented from an essentialist perspective. I identified as a member of the white race and was educated from a white, colonial historical perspective. Instilled from an early age was the notion that being black meant being inferior. Not only did I perceive Indigenous people as those who sat in the park and got drunk but I engaged in racist language such as ‘nigger’ and ‘coon’. My prejudice is highlighted by Brickman (2009) who suggests â€Å"Indeed, for social categories based on race, increased endorsement of genetic theories (one component of psychological essentialism) has been linked to increased prejudice† (p. 2). My parents assisted in the facilitation of my racial essentialism as did many other adults and peers of my own racial group. During my formative years my identity based upon being a member of the white race assumed greater intelligence, privilege and more appropriate behaviour than Indigenous peoples. The distinction between race and ethnicity is evident when according to Chandra (2006), an ethnic group is â€Å"...a named human population with myths of common ancestry, shared historical memories, one or more elements of a common culture, a link with a homeland and sense of solidarity† (p.403). This statement relates to when I left my small town and attended an affluentShow MoreRelatedSocial And Cultural Geography Research2159 Words   |  9 Pagessignificant amount of research and academic papers on this broad area of study. The fact is since the evolution of post-structuralist ideas in the mid 20th century, in addition to postcolonial, and feminist study around the 1990s. A shift from an emphasis on identity to difference in geographical literature has become apparent. Geographers have since engaged more frequently with gender, sexuality, ‘race’, and class differences, by investigating how they are constituted in relation to peoples and places. ThisRead More Effectiveness of New Gender Responsive Strategies Essay1768 Words   |  8 Pagescontemporary notions of ‘gender’ within the social sciences and argue that it is relational, concerning both men and women, and that it is a primary factor in organising social lives and argue that gender is a key factor to the access of power, as is ethnicity and class, and that these too are gendered constructs. It will then relate gender analysis to the field of forced migration, arguing that since gender is the principal factor in all forms of power relations, gendered analysis is fundamental to knowledgeRead MoreFeminist Analysis : The Field Of Feminism1818 Words   |  8 PagesEnglish Per.1 7 November 2015 Feminist â€Å"Feminist analysis draws on and also has influenced every other literary theory: its applications intersect with gender and class, sexuality, race, ethnicity, psychology literary form and post-structuralist.†(Donald Hall (199)). The field of feminism is a cont estable that nature captures the dynamism and excitement of recent development in theory as a cultural and critical phenomenon. For over years women have been aiming to establish equal rights and legalRead MoreIdentity And The Search For The Self Among The Sub Continental Diaspora10173 Words   |  41 Pagescultural- has resulted in the changes in the approaches to the identity theory. Prior to the Middle Ages, Identity of an individual was based on the geographical location of home, the institution of marriage and the economical status of a person. By the Middle Ages with the dramatic technological developments, mass consumption, education, political development, ideals of liberty and subversion of the feudal system steered the Identity theory towards inner selfhood of an individual. The outward association