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Part IX: Globalism, Nationalism, and Cultural Identity |
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This section of The Conscious Reader, like several others, explores the concept of identity. But here, the concept of identity is widened, asking us to consider how people identify with global, national, and cultural groups—and whether those identifications are in concert or in conflict with one another. Reading the selections here will likely lead us to conclude that the answer is both.
Since our world has in many ways grown smaller through faster methods of real and virtual travel, many political and business leaders have asked us to imagine the advantages of a global community. At the same time, as the world grows smaller, there are, as one would expect, more opportunity for friction. So as globalism meets nationalism (identifying ourselves with a particular country or political unit), questions of identity and allegiance can often become quite complicated. And when we add to this mix cultural identity, which can pull us toward specific racial, ethnic, religious, or other groups that cross national boundaries, the picture reaches its most complex.
Despite the complexities, though, these topics require our attention as world citizens, and the readings in this section are sure to engage you in a wide-ranging set of ideas and provide you with a great many motivations to write.
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