U7D1-12 & S1-Collective Identity —see details
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 please make sure to include the DOI links or the attachments of the resources with this discussion.
COLLECTIVE IDENTITY
Reference your reading and the resources you located earlier in this unit’s study to address the following
discussion questions:
• How is collective identity formed?
• How should trust be established in public settings?
• How can we encourage collective identity?
• What lessons about establishing trust and embracing multiculturalism in public participation situations
should public administrators take from these examples?
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 cast 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 like this, there were internal clashes: arguments, fallings-out, and flat-out power
struggles. Sometimes it might have been a case of you arguing 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 collective 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 identity come from collaborations across sectors on issues, such as when
government entities, businesses, agriculture representatives, and fishery representatives all discuss water rights
and release rates. In this case, the common goal is maintaining 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 identity in this unit, think about its many applications 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 collective identity in multiculturalism.
2. Analyze barriers that may be rooted in differences 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 encourage 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 earlier in this unit’s study to address the following
discussion questions:
• How is collective identity formed?
• How should trust be established in public settings?
• How can we encourage collective identity?
• What lessons about establishing trust and embracing multiculturalism in public participation situations
should public administrators take from these examples?
[u07d1] Unit 7 Discussion 1
