U7D1-12 & S1-Collective Identity ---see details

Unit 7 INTRODUCTION Think back to when you were in high school, and recall a group you belonged to. It may have been a clique, or a bunch of kids brought together by a common interest, such as band or debate. It might have been the members of a team or the ca st of the school musical.

Invariably, there were internal friendships within the group. Quite likely, your best friend was a part of this group. Often, in groups lik e this, there were internal clashes: ar guments, fallings-out, and flat-out power struggles. Sometimes it might have been a case of you ar guing with your best friend within the group, and sometimes the whole clique was in a conflict, with people expected to choose sides and adopt the grievances.

What happened, though, when someone challenged the group?

Everyone came together, even though they were not agreeing internally, because everyone identified with the group and the group was being threatened. This is one example of the concept of collective identity.

For a less distant example, consider the aftermath of the September 11 attacks—the collapse of the World Trade Center towers and the airplane crashes at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. The country came together as a nation for the common purpose of supporting those who suffered such devastating losses that day, and rallied around the fight against those who would commit such heinous acts. No matter what our individual viewpoints or feelings, we were Americans first, and we came together in our feeling of collective identity.

This unit invites you to explore the issues around collect ive identity, how it is established, and how it can benefit society.

In practice, the United Nations is a structure to formalize a collective identity , in this case to provide collective security. When confronted by the collective identity of peace-loving nations, the bullies of the world would have to back down and stop whatever aggression they had mistakenly thought they could perpetrate.

Other applications of collective iden tity come from collaborations across sectors on issues, such as when government entities, businesses, agriculture representative s, and fishery representatives all discuss water rights and release rates. In this case, the common goal is mainta ining adequate water supplies to take care of farmers, cities, and outdoor enthusiasts, while securing the endangered fishery population and protecting the environment. Each party comes to the table with its own agenda, but all parties are united in the common agenda concerning the water supply.

As you examine collective iden tity in this unit, think about its many a pplications in public administration and what collective identity means for you as a public servant.

OBJECTIVES To successfully complete this learning unit, you will be expected to:

1. Examine the role of collectiv e identity in multiculturalism.

2. Analyze barriers that may be rooted in difference s and conflict between cultural and community values.

Unit 7 Collective Identity 3. Discuss and analyze the relationships that exist between public participation, collective identity, and multiculturalism.

4. Identify public administration strategies that encou rage the positive application of multiculturalism and collective identity.

5. Correlate the ways in which public trust is established with common public values and collective identity.

6. Demonstrate effective academic writing.

[u07s1] Unit 7 Study 1 STUDIES Readings Use the Griswold text, Cultures and Societies in a Changing World, to complete the following:

• Read "Identities, Problems, and Movements," pages 99–117. Research Complete the following research in preparation for this unit's discussions: • Use the Resource library, the Internet, and other resources available to you to locate at least three resources (these do not need to be peer reviewed, but should be credible) that address issues of collective identity and, if possible, how it is formed. You will use this information in the Collective Identity discussion later in this unit. COLLECTIVE IDENTITY Resources Discussion Participation Scoring Guide .

Reference your reading and the resources you located ea rlier in this unit's study to address the following discussion questions:

• How is collective identity formed?

• How should trust be estab lished in public settings?

• How can we encourage collective identity?

• What lessons about establishing trust and embracing multiculturalism in pub lic participation situations sh ould public administrators take from these examples?

[u07d1] Unit 7 D iscussion 1 