Cover art by anonymous graffiti artist active in American Canyon Ruins.
More than once, in the course of my day, I come across someone uttering the classic expression, “Yes, but he/she will never really be Italian”; which, in most cases, leads to a conversation that, though interesting, is often difficult to follow and, most importantly, does not have as its outcome the ability to establish with a minimum of objectivity who among the different parties might or might not be right. Whenever I hear this kind of discussion, I am always struck by the thought, ” What if it isn’t simply a matter of identity?”
While it is true that our identity defines who we are and perhaps even what we want out of life, it is also accurate to say that today the issue, or if prefer to say simply the notion of ‘identity’ has evolved considerably from the different considerations we might have applied in the 1990s or even earlier.
In Greece, engraved on the pediment of the temple of Apollo at Delphi was the expression, “know thyself.” While it is difficult to trace or know its origin, we know that Socrates made it his favorite maxim, interpreting it as an invitation to:
- Recognize one’s limitations
- Undertake a path of personal growth
- Act with wisdom and moderation
Again building on these considerations suggested by Socrates, we can see knowing oneself as an invitation to explore one’s inner self, which implies:
- Examining one’s own thoughts, emotions and behaviors,
- Understanding one’s own motivations and desires,
- Accepting one’s own uniqueness and complexity.
Thus, starting from these considerations of Socrates, we can try to address in an objective way what the notion of knowing oneself might mean today, and especially how to better define the question of identity.
I would first like to begin with a term that is increasingly used today and has great importance for our current societies, and that is “inclusion.”
Inclusion can be defined as including elements of a different nature or not. Speaking of society, social inclusion is the action of ensuring the inclusion of each individual within society, regardless of the presence of elements that differentiate one from another and that may appear limiting. Therefore, it is not and should not be the fact of trying to make similar (as nature and characteristic) the elements that make up society but the ability to find a model that can work beyond the individual’s characteristics. Characteristics that may be the same or different.
Inclusion in general is characterized by certain elements:
- Belonging: inclusion involves a sense of belonging to a group, community or larger society. It is about feeling welcomed and valued for one’s individual characteristics, regardless of differences of any kind.
- Equal opportunity: inclusion is based on the principle of equal opportunity for all. All individuals, regardless of their characteristics, should have access to the same resources, opportunities and services.
- Removal of barriers: inclusion requires the identification and removal of any barriers that may limit the participation of some individuals in social life. This includes physical, cognitive, language, cultural and other barriers.
- Valuing diversity: inclusion recognizes and values diversity as an asset to society. Individual differences, in terms of abilities, experiences, cultures, and opinions, are considered a valuable resource for collective growth and development.
- Welcoming and mutual respect: Inclusion is based on acceptance and mutual respect. All individuals should be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their individual characteristics.
As anticipated earlier, the notion of identity has evolved greatly over time and today can be divided into: Biological Identity, Sexual Identity, Social Identity, Gender Identity.
- Biological identity is a complex concept that refers to the physical and genetic characteristics that define an individual’s sex; these factors include: chromosome (most people have XX (female) or XY (male) chromosomes. However, there are chromosomal variations such as XXY or Klinefelter syndrome that can affect biological identity), anatomy (internal and external genitalia, such as ovaries and uterus for females and testes and penis for males are key factors in biological identity. Secondary sexual characteristics such as fat distribution, muscle growth, and voice can also be influenced by anatomy). It is important to note that biological identity is not always binary (male/female) and that some people may have biological characteristics that do not clearly align with one sex or the other. This may be due to chromosomal, anatomical, or hormonal variations.
- Sexual identity is a complex and multifaceted concept that describes how an individual perceives himself, herself or themselves as a sexed being. It is not simply biological sex, which is assigned at birth based on physical characteristics, but also includes gender identity, sexual orientation (is the emotional, affective, and sexual attraction to people of the same sex, opposite sex, or both sexes. The most common labels are heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual and asexual) and gender expression (is the way a person presents his or her gender to the world through behavior, clothing, hairstyle and other outward aspects. It does not always conform to the gender norms associated with biological sex).
- Gender identity is the inner sense of being a man, a woman, neither, both or another gender identity. It is a subjective experience, is not necessarily the same as biological sex, and can vary over time.
- Social identity: this is this one that I would like to dwell on later because, from my point of view and that of the topic discussed here, it can be personal (meaning individual and subjective) but one can also address it from the objective and social point of view, as it may involve different people or different social groups.
But before we continue, it is important to point out that these terms, as a whole, concern the individual and subjective dimension of perceiving oneself as sexed and are the outcome a complex interaction between bio-psycho-socio-cultural aspects of an individual. In addition, they are not always rigidly defined and can have different shades of meaning. Finally, different identities can intersect and influence each other.
Social identity is, thus, the part of an individual’s self-concept that results from his, her or their membership in a social group. It is a sense of belonging to and identifying with a group, which can be based on various factors, such as nationality, ethnicity, religion, profession, sexual orientation, hobby or any other characteristic that people share.
The different characteristics we can assign to social identity are:
- Influence: can influence a person’s behavior, thoughts and emotions. It can lead to feeling part of something bigger than oneself, developing a sense of loyalty to the group and conforming to group norms.
- Types of social identity : There are different types of social identity, such as national identity, ethnic identity, religious identity, gender identity, political identity, and professional identity.
- Salience : The importance of social identity can vary from person to person and according to context. In some situations, social identity may be very salient and influence behavior significantly. In others, it may be less important.
- Change: Social identity can change over time. People may join new groups or leave old ones, and their opinions and values may change.
In conclusion, as we have seen so far, the issue of ‘identity’ is extremely complex and also difficult to address; it becomes even more so when it is compared to that of inclusion and integration.
And speaking of integration, the famous phrase, “yes, but he will never be truly Italian or Italian” with which I began this article turns out to be particularly harsh for those born and raised in Italy. For these people, Italy is the only reality they have ever known; their culture and identity are deeply tied to the country. Being told that they will never “really” be Italian can be very painful and disorienting, especially if one has not been prepared to deal with the question of one’s identity.
On the other hand, for those who arrived in Italy as teenagers or adults, the situation is different. Having already lived in another country, these people have a dual identity and a broader understanding of the world. While they may still feel displeasure at such a statement, they are in a better position to understand and contextualize it.
It is crucial for society to commit itself to providing support for people born and raised in Italy to better understand the question of their identity. This means:
- Promoting Inclusion and Tolerance: Italian society must be more inclusive and tolerant of people of all backgrounds. This means fighting against racism, discrimination and intolerance.
- Educating people about diversity: It is important to educate people, from a young age, about diversity and the value of inclusion. This can be done through schools, the media, and civil society organizations.
- Support organizations that provide support to people with migration backgrounds: There are many organizations that provide support to people with migration backgrounds. It is important to support these organizations and their work.
- Giving voice to people with migrant backgrounds: It is important to give voice to people with migrant backgrounds and listen to their experiences. This can help break down stereotypes and build a more inclusive society.
- Promoting intercultural dialogue: It is important to promote intercultural dialogue between people of different backgrounds. This can help build bridges between different cultures and create a more cohesive society.
Gaius Tsaamo was born in 1986 in Douala, Cameroon. He arrived in Italy in 2008 to study medicine. He is passionate about literature and poetry; his first book was released in 2013 with the title: “L’école de la vie” by the publishing house (On demand) Lulu. He collaborated with “Multiversi” and participated in the creation of “Under the sky of Lampedusa 2- No man is an island”. His first novel in Italian “Maya, the world of spirits” was released in 2015 by qudulibri.
