Omirbekova Aliya,
Asem Mukhanbet
Associate Professors
Department of Religious and Cultural Studies
Al-Farabi Kazakh
National University
National identity in the context of globalization
XXI
century can be called the century of the explosion of identities. National
identity as self-definition of individuals and groups in the coordinates of the
national community, contrary to the logic of globalization of the world with
models of citizenship and transnational identity, played and produced in a
globalized world that is projected onto the sphere of international, within
social, interpersonal relationships, affecting thus social mega, meso, micro
levels. National identity is not only a consequence of archaism, localization,
but also a way, integration tool of peoples in the modern world. These
circumstances make it necessary for the analysis and evaluation of national
identity, comparison and identification of explanatory, analytical and
predictive capabilities, formed the theoretical and methodological approaches
to national identity in the context of globalization processes.
The
formation of national identity in the context of globalization is
characterized, on the one hand, the isolation, distancing itself from other
national and ethnic groups, search for collective national "I" on the
other - the inclusion of resource identity as a "prize" in the
competition for positions in the globalized world. The modern national identity
is influenced by "transnationalization", which makes it difficult to
preserve its integrity, but it is essentially a form of self-determination,
which often drives a paradoxical, but associated with a variety of
opportunities in the definition of a national strategy for the characters.
Thus, national identity in the context of globalization is a process of
differentiation, fragmentarization, complementarity system and subjective
factors. Complexity of the process of national identity is multi-dimensional
criteria of identity, updating the political, social, cultural and symbolic
capital.
E.Giddens
puts and interprets the fundamental issues of the nation, nationalism and the
nation state. From his point of view, national identity and sense of belonging
to a nation can not be a constructive force, because nationalism and nationalist
aspirations, usually militant, become a cause of violent conflict [1].
Indeed,
national acts as the most important social constant in the world of social
change. At the same time the growth of national consciousness can be
represented as a natural reaction to the standardization of social life.
Multiculturalism and national identity are now threatened mankind seek to
impose any one model as the only true, neutralize all its diversity under one
stencil. Hence the natural reaction of people - protect yourself, your
uniqueness. The growing anti-globalization trends related to the fact that
people want to be representatives of a common faceless world, and carriers of a
particular ethno-cultural and national community.
E. Troeltsch notes that,
knowing in each case their own social being, "in fact, we only know
ourselves". This knowledge is both a practical necessity and a
prerequisite activities forming culture. To understand the essence of society,
so it becomes necessary to understanding its ethno-cultural aspect of the
integrity and independence, through the recognition and acceptance of its
historical destiny. "If you travel around the world and have the shortest
way to ourselves, we are on the way, comparing and learning, and always come
back to ourselves" [2, 340 c].
All this suggests a
methodological unity in the study of general history and national consciousness
and identity through the awareness of the social and historical continuity in
terms of a common understanding of the processes of social formation and
development. The theoretical basis of the formation of the main components of
the empirical research was the comparative analysis of the various theories of
identity that exist in the social sciences and claiming to explain the process
of its formation.
Development of
original ideas about the nature and structure of identity held in theoretical
writings of B. Anderson, P. Berger, I. Valerstayn, E.Giddens, T.Luckman, J.
Neumann, J. Habermas, S.Huntington, E. Erikson and others. To solve the
problems are also important works, subject to the consideration of which is the
phenomenon of political identity.
An important
feature of modern society is the rapid change and global, as the global
community and on individual social structures when it is safe to say that the
social changes immediately cover all generations and social strata. In the
consciousness of the people are reflected and understanding of social and
cultural contradictions of globalization trends and local conservatism,
language and aspects of mutual conceptual Western and Russian thoughts. All
this is accompanied by cognitive ambiguity, existential contradictions, can be
manifested in the loss of life goals and modification of the existing system of
values. A similar situation obtained in the scientific literature as the
"crisis of social identity", which occurs primarily at the level of
individual consciousness. The situation suggests the possibility of an identity
crisis in the early 70s Levi-Strauss, who claimed that it will become the new
century disaster and predicted changes in the status of the problem from
socio-philosophical and psychological in
interdisciplinary[3].
The subject of the
research is the structure, function, general laws of transformation of Kazakh
identity. Considering Kazakhstan identity it must be taken into account its complex structure and especially the
union within the phenomenon of ethnic and civic consciousness. In the
scientific literature as the basic components of the study of ethnic identity
are allocated, for example, the following main components: a) cognitive
(self-identification, selection grounds of ethnic identity, the content of
auto- and hetero-stereotypes, notions of "distance" between his group
and its relevant ethnic groups); b) affective (feeling of belonging to an
ethnic community) [4].
Kazakh identity as
a phenomenon of social consciousness as the very public consciousness exists as
a group of private, personal self-identity of citizens of Kazakhstan, but in
this study come into view, first of all, the components of consciousness
formation of which depends not only on the individual, how much is produced
structures of society.
From the standpoint
of the development of the concept of psychoanalysis identity must take into
account its structural and dynamic characteristics. Based on this theoretical
position may be noted that the study of identity, especially in scale sample
sociological surveys should be paid to its procedural and substantive to the
side, so that the past, present and future are experienced man (and therefore
society) as a whole. In this sense, it is necessary to consider that identity
always remains "unfinished", it is formed continuously. It is from
this position in the study was introduced a series of successive questions
aimed at identifying the most popular in terms of public opinion trends in the
development of Kazakh culture, education and ideology.
From the standpoint
of the directions in the sociology and social psychology as symbolic
interactionism important component analysis of identity processes are symbolic
aspects of social interaction, based on the idea of social origin "I".
The most important,
if not the sole basis of identity formation is a historical heritage of the
people. It is in the process of historical development formed the unique
specificity of social life of the people, their culture, spirituality,
mentality. The assertion that history can be called a process of acquisition of
individual traits, will be equally valid for individual subjects and for global
social systems. Only the uniqueness of individual stories creates a unique
combination of specific properties that distinguish them from each of the other
systems with a similar structure, and that the history tell us historical
identity systems, allowing them to identify. Because, cultural and social
systems, as well as an individual, identify themselves with the help of its
historical identity, insofar historical personality can be described as
"identity".
Instrumental in
defining a sense of identity to determine it as a collection of ideas, myths,
discourses, narratives, able to create and retain the integrity of government.
Calls for the protection of national identity contribute to the conclusion that
something is described on the same level of abstraction inherent in all that
lies above the party and religious differences. In other words deeply rooted
national identity can be described only through its unique historical essence.
These identities are formed symbolic forms such as flags, architecture, art and
appreciate the history and preserves. Public schools, universities, churches
and broadcasting organizations are also repositories of national identities. We
can assume that these symbols and ideas behind them are located not only beyond
the short-term political expediency, but even beyond the historical stages and
political regimes.
It is easy to
imagine the world in which there is separation of state and nation, but XX
century was a confirmation of the view that the national ideals should have
access to the organization of state and government. Memory or story becomes as
important overseas as river, mountain, or artificially drawn line. Symbols must
be unique, be included in the training materials and to protect themselves from
oblivion. National identity must be protected from attacks, especially if this
identity is the rationale of the state.
It becomes apparent
that if the social actors take on their unique identity among the like through
history, respectively, access to the required identity revealed through history
[5, 18].
Ultimately, the
identity of the social and historical subjects can be displayed only with the
help of their stories, since this identity as it is today, always contains more
than what can be understood by analyzing the conditions of the present time. In
some ways, the notion of historical identity is not the result of the action,
and the result of self-preservation and development of the subject. That is why
in relation to history, giving it the identity, it is not its acting subject,
but merely referential.
Possible to talk
about a certain symbolic loading of historical events, although they are
important and can be understood in different ways. During the study,
respondents were asked about what they think historical images can be worthy
symbol of the emerging Kazakhstan patriotism at the present stage of
development.
At the present
stage of development of Kazakhstan's idea of national identity is directly
dependent on many factors, rooted in history - this is the cultural, political
and economic ties, and the tradition of multiculturalism and peaceful
coexistence of different ethnic groups, and trends related to Eurasianism as a
geopolitical and cultural phenomenon. In the context of globalization on
identity processes are affected and intensive dialogue with the world,
including European culture as the bearer of a special kind of identity is
required at this stage of the Kazakh culture kind of self that can make our
country recognizable in a variety of world history. This phenomenon speaks to
the fact that the more intensive the dialogue, the national identity appears
strikingly Kazakh culture. Conversely, a weakening of the dialogue, the
erection of ideological barriers may adversely impact on the national culture.
It is also important that its development should not live replaced by
artificial ideologies, not only prevents forward movement, but also make it
difficult to communicate with their own traditions. In sociological and
psychological literature allocate different functions of social identity,
summarizing the existing presentation may allocate its following main
functions:
- orientation
(finding one's place in the world);
- structural (save
the definition, the ratio of determinism and uncertainty);
- target (device,
the construction of models of behavior);
- existential
(forecasting, their own spiritual potential).
These functions are
formed in full immediately, so it is possible to talk about the stages of the
formation of social identity in general and about the stages of formation of
ethnic identity in particular.
Perhaps exemplified
characteristic stages of the formation of ethnic identity developed by French
psychologist Jean Piaget [6, 34-56]. Piaget described three stages:
- 6 - 7 years - a
child acquires the first fragmentary and unsystematic knowledge of their
ethnicity. At this age, the most important for him is the family and the
immediate social environment, and not the country and ethnic group;
- 8 -9 years - a
child has clearly identify themselves with their ethnic group on the basis of
criteria such as the parents' nationality, place of residence, mother tongue,
awakening national feelings;
- 10 - 11 years old
– a child already has ethnic identity in its entirety, can describe the
characteristics of different peoples, understands the unique history, the
specificity of traditional consumer culture.
L.Gumilev wrote that the cultural originality of each ethnic group creates a kind of
mosaic of humanity, giving it flexibility. "Ethnic diversity, according to
Gumilev, it is an optimal form of human existence". The structure of
identity in a multicultural environment is very complex. In a multicultural
environment, especially in non-conflict situations of inter-ethnic relations,
in addition to the need for differentiation manifested a tendency to intergroup
integration, which erases the boundaries of identity of certain ethnic and
cultural groups. At the same time blurred identity can coexist with a profound
sense of their ethnicity, use in the construction of identity more elements.
The
researchers note that it is bietnichal identity is most favorable for life in a
multiethnic society, because it allows you to seamlessly combine different
perspectives of perceiving the world, to acquire riches of another culture
without compromising the value of the property.
In the scientific
revolution of modern ethno ethnomethodology and developed a narrow and a broad
understanding of ethnic identity: in the narrow sense of ethnic identity is
interpreted as an awareness of belonging to an ethnic community, broadly - it
also means people's ideas about culture, language, historical past of his
people, including of state, territory. As part of the study as a methodological
base was used by the so-called "broad" definition, which makes it
necessary to separate the consideration of this aspect as cultural identity in
the context of the system analysis of processes of identification.
Considering
the identification process through the study of social interaction, which
include processes and inter-ethnic communication, it is necessary to take into
account that each person acts not as an isolated entity, but as a
representative of a particular social group - the nation, ethnic group,
subculture, profession, generation, carrier other than one other values,
stereotypes or behavioral forms. It is obvious that for age, sex, religion, etc.
pay more attention in any culture. Features of behavior are determined by
membership in these groups, and hence the behavior of partners in intercultural
communication, as the exchange of different cultural attitudes, stereotypes,
social myths and cultural achievements, in other words a kind of "fusion
of horizons" may be interpreted by the predominance of one type or another
reaction to the situation of the meeting with the "another" cultural
environment.
References:
1. E. Giddens.
Stratification and class structure // Sociological studies. 1992. ¹ 11. P.
107-120.
2. E.Troeltsch.
Historicism and its problems. M., 1994
3. C.Levi-Strauss.
Structural Anthropology. - M., 1985.
4.T. Stefanenko.
Ethnopsychology. M., 1999.
5. L.Akhmetova.,
L.Veryovkin., A.Lifanova.The main parameters of the Kazakh identity. - Almaty,
2009.
6. J.Piaget.
Selected psychological works. M.,1969.