Language and Identity in post-Soviet Ukraine: Transformation of an Unbroken Bond

Language has traditionally been a crucial component of Ukrainian identity. Given the lack of independent statehood, Ukrainian identity was primarily ethnocultural rather than civic. However, the contradictory policies of the Soviet regime produced a large-scale discrepancy between the language use and ethnocultural identity. Moreover, independence boosted Ukrainian civic identity and stimulated reconsideration of its relationship with the ethnocultural identity of the titular group. Although the Ukrainian language occupies a special place in both main versions of Ukrainian identity, it has to be reconciled with the continued reliance on Russian of about half of Ukraine’s citizens. At the same time, the perception of oneself as Ukrainian is gradually shifting from ethnocultural to civic, particularly among the young generations raised in independent Ukraine. Last but not least, the escalation of an identity struggle in the wake of the Orange Revolution led to different dynamics in the two parts of the country.

THE STRUGGLE OF IDENTITY IN RELIGION PLURALITY IN VILLAGE OF EKASARI JEMBRANA, BALI

The three religious communities in Ekasari Village come from a number of regencies in Bali. Only a small proportion of its members come from outside the island. They came in different time periods at the beginning of the 20th century (1930) and then formed their own communities based on religion in accordance with their respective histories. Even though they are separated in religion, administratively they are an area in the village office. The existence of these three communities is colored by identity struggles so it is interesting to be further investigated in cultural studies. The purpose of this study is (1) to understand the form of identity struggles that occur in Ekasari village, (2) understanding the ideology that works behind the identity struggle and (3) analyzing the implications of this identity struggle. This research approach uses qualitative analysis methods. Data collection techniques carried out by in-depth interviews, observation, and document analysis. Based on this research method it is found that there are certain ideologies that cause identity struggles found in the dynamics of religious, cultural, political and economic life of the people. The implication is that each religious community strives to fight for and maintain its identity while still trying to build communication through existing means. Keywords: community, identity struggle, ideology, communication

Digital queer: identitas komunikasi genderqueer selebgram Mimi Peri

Ahmad Jaelani, an Instagram influencer who adopted Mimi Peri as their new identity, plays a significant role in the emergence of digital queer phenomena in Indonesian cyber society. Ahmad Jaelani triggered the digital queer phenomena when he came out as gender queer. Jaelani’s brave act to adopt Mimi Peri identity resulted from various identity struggle. Before conforming to his new identity, he went through several stages, such as identity confusion, identity comparison, identity tolerance, identity acceptance, identity pride, and finally identity synthesis. He conveys his new identity through innovation and creativity, which are presented in several layers, such as personal layers, enactment layers, relational layers, and communal layers.

From Mundane to Socially Significant Consumption: An Analysis of How Foodie Identity Work Spurs Market Formation

How does dull turn into cool? Every now and then new markets emerge and consumption that used to be mundane and insignificant transforms into something socially significant. Using the theoretical lens of cultural system transformation, this research set out to analyze how consumers, through their identity work, unintentionally transform a market by negotiating its symbolic boundaries and expanding its borders in relation to their social surroundings. The results showed that consumer identity work contributes to forming the market by providing it with new symbolic meanings (epistemic, entertainment and erotic), by extending it with new discursive and material content (through epistemic refinement), and by expanding it through the provision (active and unintentional promotion of the consumption field to confirm their own identity) of new consumers. This research added to at least three ongoing conversations in marketing research; (i) to the macromarketing research stream on marketing systems by taking a cultural system perspective and recognizing the subtle but transformative impact of symbolic consumer meanings and identity work, (ii) to the consumer culture theory (CCT) research stream on market formation by highlighting consumers’ unintentional change of a market through intense identity struggle in their immediate social circle, and (iii) to both above streams by highlighting what makes identity struggle distinct at a mundane rather than more controversial or extraordinary market.

Community Music Portraits of Struggle, Identity, and Togetherness

This chapter explores identity, struggle, and inclusion in three contrasting settings: in American prisons and in community music projects in two vastly different locations and situations in Mexico and Palestine. The chapter relates this exploration to the Empowering Song approach developed in the United States in Boston, Massachusetts. This approach, born in the oppressive context of American prisons, and possessed of general music education approaches, has developed into a model for community music where social justice, enquiry, personal transformation, and community bonding are sought. In all three settings described in this chapter, identity, struggle, and inclusion are key elements through which the author interrogates and examines the artistic, pedagogical, and communal processes through a narrative style.