【明報專訊】Identity refers to the sense of mutual approval and acceptance among people who have similar values and attitudes to life. It is often associated with the sense of belonging which stems from shared values that make people feel they belong to the same group. By conforming to social norms, individuals develop a sense of dedication to their community. The sense of identity can be fostered at different levels - families, countries, nations and the world. As globalisation increases interactions between countries, the identity of a citizen of a particular country extends to cosmopolite (世界公民).
International sports events × Patriotism
In the 1930s, the Nazis whipped up patriotic sentiments and carried out ethnic cleansing in Germany. That led to the outbreak of World War II. More than half a century has since passed, but the word "patriotism" remains a taboo in that country, and seldom do schools fly the German flag or teach students to sing Germany's national anthem. In 2014, the German football team won the World Cup. The Washington Post described it as a triumph for German nationalism and a turning point in post-war Germany, which reestablished the German people's sense of identity.
Movements of people × Sense of identity of migrants
Globalisation has brought about frequent migrations. When children born of migrants from another country grow up, they are exposed to two cultures - that of their birthplace and that of their parants' homeland. Few children born of Chinese immigrants identify themselves with Chinese culture. Thinking they belong to what is between Eastern and Western cultures, they tend to speak less and less Chinese, and they have a weak sense of identification towards their "original country". Alan Mak, whose parents hail from Hong Kong, is the first British MP of Chinese descent. But he said he had never used a Chinese name, adding that he did not think his election had any special meaning to Chinese communities.
Social movements × Sense of identity
The Occupy Movement, which took place between September and December 2014, is regarded as one of the social movements that have in recent years contributed to Hong Kong people's sense of identity. "To save our own Hong Kong", the slogan the protesters used, reflects their sense of identity as "Hong Kong people".
To commemorate the June Fourth crackdown, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China (the ''Alliance'') has staged annual candlelight vigils at Victoria Park. In recent years, owing to the rise of localism, some have challenged the mission to "Build a Democratic China" of the Alliance. They believe priority should be given to local issues. On 4th June 2016, students of 11 tertiary institutions held a joint forum on the June Fourth incident at the CUHK. They talked about the incident's ramifications for Hong Kong's future. Alliance chairman Albert Ho (何俊仁) stressed that Hong Kong people's insistence that the verdict on the June Fourth incident should be put to rights was itself a feature of "localism" because it demonstrated Hong Kong people's spirits and values.
[通通識 第460期]
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