Culture and Belonging in Divided Societies

Culture and Belonging in Divided Societies
Author: Marc Howard Ross
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
Total Pages: 308
Release: 2012-02-28
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 081220350X

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From cartoons of Muhammad in a Danish newspaper to displays of the Confederate battle flag over the South Carolina statehouse, acts of cultural significance have set off political conflicts and sometimes violence. These and other expressions and enactments of culture—whether in music, graffiti, sculpture, flag displays, parades, religious rituals, or film—regularly produce divisive and sometimes prolonged disputes. What is striking about so many of these conflicts is their emotional intensity, despite the fact that in many cases what is at stake is often of little material value. Why do people invest so much emotional energy and resources in such conflicts? What is at stake, and what does winning or losing represent? The answers to these questions explored in Culture and Belonging in Divided Societies view cultural expressions variously as barriers to, or opportunities for, inclusion in a divided society's symbolic landscape and political life. Though little may be at stake materially, deep emotional investment in conflicts over cultural acts can have significant political consequences. At the same time, while cultural issues often exacerbate conflict, new or redefined cultural expressions and enactments can redirect long-standing conflicts in more constructive directions and promote reconciliation in ways that lead to or reinforce formal peace agreements. Encompassing work by a diverse group of scholars of American studies, anthropology, art history, religion, political science, and other fields, Culture and Belonging in Divided Societies addresses the power of cultural expressions and enactments in highly charged settings, exploring when and how changes in a society's symbolic landscape occur and what this tells us about political life in the societies in which they take place.

Social Movements in Violently Divided Societies

Social Movements in Violently Divided Societies
Author: John Nagle
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 210
Release: 2016-02-26
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1317508009

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Violently divided societies present major challenges to institutions seeking to establish peace in places characterised by ethnic conflict and high levels of social segregation. Yet such societies also contain groups that refuse to be confined within separate forms of ethnic community and instead develop alternative modes of action that generate shared identities, build trust and foster consensual, peaceful politics. Advancing a unique social movement approach to the study of violently divided societies, this book highlights how various social movements function within a context of violent ethnic politics and provide new ways of imagining citizenship that complements peacebuilding. By analysing the impact of social movements on divided societies, this book contributes to debates about the complexity of belonging and identity, and constructs a nuanced understanding of political mobilisation in regions defined by ethnic violence. In turn, the book provides important insights into the dynamics of social movement mobilisation. Based on the author's extensive research in Lebanon and Northern Ireland, and drawing on numerous examples from other divided societies, this book examines a range of social movements, including nationalists, victims, sexual minorities, labour movements, feminists, environmentalists, secularists, and peace movements. Bringing together social theory and case studies in order to consider how grassroots movements intersect with political institutions, this book will be of interest to students, scholars and policymakers working in sociology and politics.

Belonging

Belonging
Author: Montserrat Guibernau
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 283
Release: 2013-10-11
Genre: History
ISBN: 0745671683

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It is commonly assumed that we live in an age of unbridled individualism, but in this important new book Montserrat Guibernau argues that the need to belong to a group or community - from peer groups and local communities to ethnic groups and nations - is a pervasive and enduring feature of modern social life. The power of belonging stems from the potential to generate an emotional attachment capable of fostering a shared identity, loyalty and solidarity among members of a given community. It is this strong emotional dimension that enables belonging to act as a trigger for political mobilization and, in extreme cases, to underpin collective violence. Among the topics examined in this book are identity as a political instrument; emotions and political mobilization; the return of authoritarianism and the rise of the new radical right; symbols and the rituals of belonging; loyalty, the nation and nationalism. It includes case studies from Britain, Spain, Catalonia, Germany, the Middle East and the United States. This wide-ranging and cutting-edge book will be of great interest to students and scholars in politics, sociology and the social sciences generally.

Divided Society

Divided Society
Author: Paul Hainsworth
Publisher: Pluto Press
Total Pages: 294
Release: 1998
Genre: Ethnic groups
ISBN: 9780745311951

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The ongoing troubles in Northern Ìreland have largely overshadowed the presence of over 40 ethnic and religious minority groups in the Province. This study of these groups focuses on the issues of racism, anti-racism, sectarianism, representation in the media, and the law.

Shared Society or Benign Apartheid?

Shared Society or Benign Apartheid?
Author: John Nagle
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 256
Release: 2010-09-17
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0230290639

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This book analyses the role power sharing, social movements, economic regeneration, urban space, memorialisation and symbols play in transforming divided societies into shared peaceful ones. It explains why some projects are counterproductive while others assist peace-building.

Cultural Contestation

Cultural Contestation
Author: Jeroen Rodenberg
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 350
Release: 2018-07-04
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 3319919148

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Heritage practices often lead to social exclusion, as such practices can favor certain values over others. In some cases, exclusion from a society’s symbolic landscape can spark controversy, or rouse emotion so much so that they result in cultural contestation. Examples of this abound, but few studies explicitly analyze the role of government in these instances. In this volume, scholars from a variety of academic backgrounds examine the various and often conflicting roles governments play in these processes—and governments do play a role. They act as authors and authorizers of the symbolic landscape, from which societal groups may feel excluded. Yet, they also often attempt to bring parties together and play a mitigating role.

The Great Reimagining

The Great Reimagining
Author: Bree T. Hocking
Publisher: Berghahn Books
Total Pages: 244
Release: 2015-02-01
Genre: Architecture
ISBN: 178238622X

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While sectarian violence has greatly diminished on the streets of Belfast and Derry, proxy battles over the right to define Northern Ireland’s identity through its new symbolic landscapes continue. Offering a detailed ethnographic account of Northern Ireland’s post-conflict visual transformation, this book examines the official effort to produce new civic images against a backdrop of ongoing political and social struggle. Interviews with politicians, policymakers, community leaders, cultural workers, and residents shed light on the deeply contested nature of seemingly harmonized urban landscapes in societies undergoing radical structural change. Here, the public art process serves as a vital means to understanding the wider politics of a transforming public sphere in an age of globalization and transnational connectivity.

Culture and Identity

Culture and Identity
Author: Chris Weedon
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education (UK)
Total Pages: 192
Release: 2004-07-16
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 0335228372

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Where does our sense of identity and belonging come from? How does culture produce and challenge identities? Identity and Culture looks at how different cultural narratives and practices work to constitute identity for individuals and groups in multi-ethnic, ‘postcolonial’ societies. Uses examples from history, politics, fiction and the visual to examine the social power relations that create subject positions and forms of identity Analyses how cultural texts and practices offer new forms of identity and agency that subvert dominant ideologies This book encompasses issues of class, race, and gender, with a particular focus on the mobilization of forms of ethnic identity in societies still governed by racism. It a key text for students in cultural studies, sociology of culture, literary studies, history, race and ethnicity studies, media and film studies, and gender studies.

Negotiating Boundaries in Multicultural Societies

Negotiating Boundaries in Multicultural Societies
Author: Dina Mansour
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 224
Release: 2019-01-04
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1848882726

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Practical case studies based on integration, identity and citizenship: Boundaries are constantly negotiated in multicultural societies, drawing people in or excluding them, permanently changing the line of demarcation between ourselves and others.

Creating a Sense of Belonging

Creating a Sense of Belonging
Author: Elijah C.
Publisher: Xspurts.com
Total Pages: 159
Release: 2024-03-13
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1779700326

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It Benefits You and Others ◦ Making a Difference: Harnessing the Power of Community ServiceIn times of increasing divisiveness and loneliness, "Creating a Sense of Belonging: Building Emotional Connections in a Divided World" serves as an enlightening guide for those seeking to foster a sense of belonging in their lives and the world around them.Discover the profound importance of belonging as the book deeply explores human psychology and how interlacing concepts of trust, respect, and mutual understanding tie into our sense of community. Let this illuminating guide help you unravel what stands between a divided society and a deeply connected one.Become familiar with the different components of belonging, such as emotional connection, shared experiences, mutual respect, and inclusivity. Learn how cultural values, societal influences, and even an individual's identity play a vital role in fostering a sense of belonging.Overcome fears, embrace growth and learn to harness empathy and transparency, as they play a vital role in building stronger and more meaningful relationships. The book also provides insights into cultivating connection in various aspects of life— at the workplace, educational institutions, and even within your neighborhood.Gain valuable clarity on how technology and social media influence our sense of connection and discover the nourishing satisfaction rooted in volunteering and community service.This insightful and inspiring book aims to ignite a spark in its readers to construct a world built on connection, empathy, and belonging. It is an essential read for educators, human resources practitioners, community builders, or anyone who is passionate about making a difference in a divided society. With "Creating a Sense of Belonging: Building Emotional Connections in a Divided World," bring about a personal and societal transformation and become a catalyst for change. Start building avenues towards unity and emotional connection today.