Living Culture Sociology

Question: Discuss about the Living Culturefor Sociology. Answer: Introduction The scholars have worked on the social science and humanities disciplines while they have taken interest in the questions concerning the identity of an individual. This question has been discussed in different disciplines such as political science, sociology and many more. For instance, within the field of political science, the concept of identity is almost discussed in every sub fields (Domenici and Lesser 2016). There are several researches that have been devoted regarding the politics of identity of gender, race and sexuality. In the sphere of comparative politics, the identity plays a major role regarding the ethnic conflicts and the concept of nationalism. However, in the political theories, the questions regarding identity discuss several arguments on the sexuality, ethnicity, gender, nationality, especially the cultural identity in relation to the liberalism and the alternative ideas. However, despite the increasing interest in the identity, the concept has remained something like an enigma. The scholars have observed that the general meaning attached to the concept of identity has not been well captured by the strict dictionary definitions as the definitions have been evolved with time and reflect an older sense. The current concept of identity is generally the social construct; therefore it is complicated in itself. Even if an individual understands the idea of using the word in his or her everyday discourse, it is indicated that it will not be easy to give a proper definition to the term (Clark et al. 2015). The thesis statement of this essay would be Identity is neither a biological determined essence nor a free choice but comes to us from the outside (Mansfield 2000:169). Therefore the purpose of the essay would be to discuss the thesis statement from a detailed analysis of the regular language and the social discourse. This essay will also examine the influences of Michel Foucault regarding the debate of the cultural and historical construction of the identity. Discussion This essay will also argue that the present usage of identity is linked with two of the terms personal and social. Formerly social identity referred to the social category or a group of individuals that is marked by a certain label which is distinguished by the social rules that decide the social membership and the distinct characteristic attributes. However, in the present sense of personal identity refers to the resource of the dignity or the self respect of the individual and at the same time it adheres to the social differentiations (Mustanski et al. 2014). However, many state that there is no such need of linking both the things. The identity an individual carries with him or herself is not only the personal identity, rather they carry a social identity. This is also because that the social identity such as the ethnic identity or the national identity gives them an idea of sameness with the others in the society. Individuals identify themselves not only with a personal idea on the basis of their internal factors but they put more significance on the external factors, therefore the individual has a sense of identification from their early childhood. Some scholars state that the heredity and sexual orientation are both related concepts, but it is important to understand the gender identity and the gender norms are two separate ideas. The gender norms that are fixed by the society define what specifically is fitting the feminine and the masculine behavior from a societal perspective (Galupo et al. 2014). This also leads to the approach that the concept of being a man or a woman becomes a distinctive yet adopted part of the style that generally reflects the gender identity that is self concerning. Human sexuality and the sexual identity both are multifaceted and complex concepts. The society always attempt to make a connection between the sexual identity and the specific gender, however, in reali ty, people blur the line file line. Therefore, most of the people who are unable to recognize themselves with this female male specified gender norms, have a tendency to feel incomplete or insecure. The concept of sexuality is neither simple nor the gender identity. The genes and heredity play a definite role in the sexual orientation and identity of an individual, however, they cannot be considered as the defining factors. Both of the factors share a common place which is the childhood nurturing, but this not the defining factor of the sexual orientation in the later life. The French philosopher Michael Foucault, who is known for presenting the queer theory and the construction of the concept of sexuality, presents theories that states that the definition and the views regarding the sexuality went through a major shift during the last few centuries (King 2013). The same sex relationships are quite common in the present time, but it is definitely not that these relationships did not exist before. They definitely did stay but in the present time, what is relatively more new is the concept that the individual desires reveal few fundamental truths about the identity and a conviction that the individuals have the obligation in seeking out the truth and to express it. Within theFoucauldianframework also roots the idea back to the Victorian era where the priest had replaced the psychiatrist as the authority figure of the confessions (McNay 2013). In this era the science of sexuality was born and the elaborate system had classified the differentiation between the normal and deviant sexuality where heterosexuality was established as the normal one and the homosexuality as the deviant one. This concept of what being the deviant one was entirely defined by the society, not the individual choices. Conclusion Therefore it can be said that the term identity is complex and historically societal in its own form. The concept of sexual identity is generally a social attitude towards the gender which focuses on the function of the gender in the society than it does to its intimate self. It mostly focused on the reflection in the outside world. Therefore the identity of an individual is mostly defined and influenced by its outside world, rather than the intimate feeling of the individual. 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