By Abhinita Mohanty
The very idea of identity is rooted in collectiveness. Identity has always represented itself a particular mass of people who have always been traditionally neglected (actual or imaginary) within the larger nation. Individuals who identify themselves into the connotation of an identity do it on the basis of religion, ethnicity, and gender etc. But the common fact that gives rise to the formation of such an identity lies with long term oppression faced by a particular segment and general stereotyping of a group based on any other criteria different from their nationality. The individuals affiliating themselves to an identity also do it to dispel negative stereotypes about them. So, identity is both individual and collective but its collectivity that I believe has a greater impact on the socio-politico scenario. They also get a collective voice to be heard and demand to be included in the nations development agenda. But here, we need to understand that the second aspect which deals with negligence may either actually exist or can also be popularly perceived by the initiators of such an identity. Many also believe that, the emergence of multiple identities in the post modern era is a consequence of bifurcated identities of individuals at a personal level and identity consciousness. Positive affirmation and welfare measures also sustain identity. The other factor is; the idea of post modernism celebrates heterogeneity and encourages free ideologues. So, many seek to locate themselves within a broader framework of ethnicity, gender, religion or region. The various movements in the sixties also further led to the construction of identities that voiced for rights and incentives for a better life. Social movements, owing to demand for or against an act also played a part.
Now, coming to the shift with regard to construction of identities (from the modern to the post modern era) there a change in the whole process of ideology with regard to construction of identity. The earlier identity politics mostly aimed towards improving the status-quo of the group and facilitate their increasing participation in the larger issues. Identity groups were symbolic for their struggle against the oppression and relative marginalization of their community. But today identity politics is merely targeting those who appear to be their polar opposite. In this process they not only try to alienate the other but also remain alienated from the mainstream. Rather than focusing on the upliftment of their own people the focus is more on their rivalries. Like, the hindutva identity politics which rather than concentrating on the problems within the community is now more focused on the so called other alien communities and ways to suppress/repress them. Frantz Fanon argued that black people need to redirect their gaze from the white man and instead towards each other in seeking recognition. This rarely occurs in todays identity politics. This can be stated about most of the other identity based group in the country today. The whole concept of identity is primarily directed towards such an action and the reaction it provokes from the other group is what chiefly makes it political. Issues are carved out of such situations and get embedded into electoral politics in many instances. Currently, most of the major political parties of India assert identities based on religion, class and caste. The problem with this is the focus is more on groups; rather than on the nation.
Commenting on the impact of identity construction on the individual, it can be said that collectivity engulfs individuality in the era of identity politics. According to Andre Betteille, the greatest threat to civil society in India comes from the intrusion of collective identities into domains that ought to be governed by rights and obligations of individuals. Individual deviations and ideas different from the party/group are rarely tolerated. Â It limits the choices of individuals and the pressure to conform is always high. The individuals ideas always revolves around that particular identity. It let him/her many a times to wrongly assume that the world out there is forever trying to harm the very essence of his identity; rational objectivity is at a loss. This is what Denise Kimber Buell called ethnic reasoning. The identity groups are also mostly close to any sort of criticism coupled with a belief that any definition of them by an external agency is considered to be an imaginary fallacy.
Even though identity politics has its limitations; if we look at the role of identity groups anywhere they have also acted as interest groups. Those sections of a society who have always been consciously excluded from rights, dignity and political power have found a collective platform to realize them. In India the groups traditionally considered as low castes have now been able to gain political mileage in certain parts of the country. Identity groups have also been to extent successful is dispelling the myths and stereotypes about them. The LGBTs who were vastly misunderstood and were considered as anomalies, are now accepted within many circles. This ultimately led to the decriminalization of IPC 377. Certain identity groups have also actively worked in the empowerment and upliftment of their community.
It can be said that the construction of identity may not be problematic but perhaps it is the nature of identity vote bank politics which is problematical. It leads to self imposed conformity and insular tendencies towards the other, thus weakening the nation state. Identity construction is always a product of long term exploitation but it can also grow on, to become an ideology of discrimination.
Â The author is currently doing her masters in Sociology from the University of Hyderabad. She is passionate about writing particularly about gender issues, corruption, current debates and anything that would capture the attention of readers. She writes just because she loves it. As a Sociologist, she likes to give her opinion on various social issues. Other than writing, she is passionate about traveling, cars, food and sauntering in hill stations.
Stay updated with all the insights.
Navigate news, 1 email day.
Subscribe to Qrius
By Abhinita Mohanty Wazo la utambulisho linategemea ushirikiano. Utambulisho daima umewakilisha wingi maalum wa watu ambao daima wamekuwa kwa kawaida kupuuzwa (halisi au mawazo) ndani ya taifa kubwa. Watu wanaojitambulisha katika maana ya utambulisho hufanya hivyo kwa msingi wa dini, kabila, na jinsia nk. Lakini ukweli wa kawaida ambao unazalisha utambulisho kama huo unapatikana katika ukandamizaji wa muda mrefu unaokabiliwa na sehemu fulani na utamaduni wa jumla wa kikundi kulingana na vigezo vingine tofauti na utaifa wao. Watu wanaojishughulisha na utambulisho fulani pia hufanya hivyo ili kuondoa mitazamo mibaya juu yao. Utu ni wa mtu binafsi na wa pamoja, lakini ni jamii ambayo ina athari kubwa zaidi kwenye mazingira ya kijamii na kisiasa. Pia wanapata sauti ya pamoja kusikilizwa na kudai kuingizwa katika ajenda ya maendeleo ya taifa. Lakini hapa, tunahitaji kuelewa kwamba kipengele cha pili ambacho kinahusiana na uzembe inaweza kuwa kweli ipo au inaweza pia kuwa maarufu kuonekana na waanzilishi wa utambulisho kama huo. Wengi pia wanaamini kwamba, kuibuka kwa utambulisho mbalimbali katika enzi ya baada ya kisasa ni matokeo ya utambulisho wa watu katika ngazi ya kibinafsi na ufahamu wa utambulisho. Uthibitisho chanya na hatua za ustawi pia huhifadhi utambulisho. Sababu nyingine ni; wazo la baada ya kisasa huadhimisha heterogeneity na kuhamasisha ideologues huru. Kwa hiyo, wengi hutafuta kujiweka ndani ya mfumo pana wa kikabila, jinsia, dini au eneo. Harakati mbalimbali katika miaka ya sitini pia zaidi ilisababisha ujenzi wa utambulisho kwamba sauti kwa ajili ya haki na motisha kwa ajili ya maisha bora. Harakati za kijamii, kwa sababu ya madai kwa ajili ya au dhidi ya kitendo pia alicheza sehemu. "Kama tunavyoona katika kipindi cha ""mabadiliko"" ya utambulisho, kutoka enzi ya kisasa hadi enzi ya baada ya enzi ya kisasa, kuna mabadiliko katika mchakato mzima wa itikadi kuhusu utambulisho." Siasa za kitambulisho za mapema zililenga zaidi kuboresha hali ya kikundi na kuwezesha ushiriki wao unaoongezeka katika masuala makubwa. Vikundi vya utambulisho vilikuwa ishara ya mapambano yao dhidi ya ukandamizaji na kutengwa kwa jamii yao. Lakini leo siasa za utambulisho zinawalenga tu wale wanaoonekana kuwa kinyume chao. Katika mchakato huu wao si tu kujaribu alienate mwingine lakini pia kubaki alienated kutoka mainstream. Badala ya kuzingatia kuinua watu wao wenyewe lengo ni zaidi juu ya ushindani wao. "Hii ni kwa sababu siasa za utambulisho wa Hindutva, badala ya kuzingatia matatizo ya ndani ya jamii, sasa zinazingatia zaidi ""jamii nyingine za kigeni"" na njia za kuzisumbua." Frantz Fanon alisema kuwa watu weusi wanahitaji kuelekeza macho yao kutoka kwa mtu mweupe na badala yake kuelekea kila mmoja katika kutafuta utambuzi. Hii haipatikani mara nyingi katika siasa za kitambulisho za leo. Hii inaweza kusemwa kuhusu wengi wa wengine utambulisho msingi kundi katika nchi leo. Dhana nzima ya utambulisho ni hasa iliyoelekezwa kuelekea hatua kama hiyo na athari inayosababisha kutoka kwa kundi lingine ni nini hasa hufanya kisiasa. Masuala huchongwa kutoka katika hali kama hizo na kuingizwa katika siasa za uchaguzi katika visa vingi. Hivi sasa, vyama vingi vikubwa vya kisiasa vya India vinadai utambulisho kulingana na dini, darasa na tabaka. Tatizo na hili ni lengo ni zaidi juu ya makundi; badala ya juu ya taifa. Akizungumzia athari za ujenzi wa utambulisho kwa mtu binafsi, inaweza kusemwa kwamba jamii huingiza utu katika enzi ya siasa za utambulisho. "Kulingana na Andre Betteille, ""tisho kubwa kwa jamii ya kiraia nchini India linatokana na uvamizi wa utambulisho wa pamoja katika maeneo ambayo yanapaswa kutawaliwa na haki na wajibu wa watu binafsi.""" Mapambano ya mtu binafsi na mawazo tofauti na chama / kundi ni mara chache kuvumiliwa. <unk> Inazuia uchaguzi wa watu na shinikizo la kufuata daima ni kubwa. Mawazo ya watu binafsi daima huzunguka utambulisho huo hususa. "Hiyo imemruhusu mara nyingi kudhani kimakosa kwamba ulimwengu wa nje daima unajaribu kuharibu kiini cha utambulisho wake; ""kiini cha busara"" ni hasara." "Kama vile Denise Kimber-Buyel alivyosema, ""Uwezo wa kuamua ni wa kikabila.""" "Kundi za utambulisho pia ni karibu na aina yoyote ya ukosoaji pamoja na imani kwamba ufafanuzi wowote wa ""wao"" na shirika la nje huchukuliwa kuwa udanganyifu wa kuwaziwa." Hata kama siasa za utambulisho zina mipaka yake; ikiwa tutaangalia jukumu la vikundi vya utambulisho mahali popote pia vimetenda kama vikundi vya maslahi. """Watu ambao wamekuwa wakitengwa na haki zao, hadhi na mamlaka ya kisiasa wamepata jukwaa la pamoja la kutimiza haki zao." Katika India, vikundi ambavyo kwa kawaida vilionwa kuwa vya tabaka la chini sasa vimekuwa na uwezo wa kupata umaarufu wa kisiasa katika sehemu fulani za nchi. Vikundi vya utambulisho pia vimekuwa na mafanikio kwa kiasi fulani katika kuondoa hadithi na mitazamo ya kawaida juu yao. LGBT ambao walikuwa wameeleweka vibaya sana na walichukuliwa kama anomalies, sasa wanakubaliwa ndani ya duru nyingi. Hii ilisababisha kuondolewa kwa sheria ya IPC 377. Vikundi fulani vya utambulisho pia vimefanya kazi kwa bidii katika kuwezesha na kuinua jamii yao. Inaweza kusemwa kwamba ujenzi wa utambulisho hauwezi kuwa na shida lakini labda ni asili ya utambulisho wa siasa ya benki ya kura ambayo ni shida. Inaongoza kwa kujiweka sawa na mielekeo ya kisiwa kuelekea mwingine, hivyo kudhoofisha serikali ya taifa. Ujenzi wa utambulisho daima ni bidhaa ya unyonyaji wa muda mrefu lakini pia inaweza kukua, kuwa itikadi ya ubaguzi. Mwandishi kwa sasa anafanya shahada ya uzamili katika Sosholojia kutoka Chuo Kikuu cha Hyderabad. Ana shauku ya kuandika hasa juu ya masuala ya jinsia, ufisadi, mjadala wa sasa na chochote ambacho kingeweza kukamata umakini wa wasomaji. Anaandika kwa sababu tu anapenda kuandika. Kama mwanasosholojia, anapenda kutoa maoni yake juu ya masuala mbalimbali ya kijamii. Mbali na kuandika, yeye ni shauku kuhusu kusafiri, magari, chakula na sauntering katika vituo vya kilima. Kukaa updated na ufahamu wote. Habari za Usalama: 1 siku ya barua pepe Kujiunga na Qrius