THE CONSTRUCTION OF IDENTITY THROUGH NARRATIVES

THE CONSTRUCTION OF IDENTITY THROUGH NARRATIVES/MEDIA
The construction of personal identity can be seen to be problematic and difficult. Individuals are surrounded by influential imagery and everything, therefore, is seen to be media-saturated. Individuals also have frequent access to media portals such as the internet, television and even magazines. It is then only fair to say that because of such frequent access and an interest in media, those not so glamorous stars who continuously have stories written about them are painted with a ‘judgemental brush’. Their sense of ‘self’ will be influenced and also created by those who see, read, hear or discover these stories.

Firstly, it is important to establish what constitutes an identity. A dictionary definition states that identity is “a state of being a specified person or thing: individuality or personality” (Collins Gem English Dictionary.1991). This definition suggests that an identity is something that occurs to a person, like a ‘state’ of drunkenness. I believe, however, that identity is something that is constructed over a period of time and can constantly be updated or changed completely. Narratives may also create identity at all levels of human social life and Lotseke mentions and discusses these types of narrative identity.

Cultural narrative identity is referred to as a social classification or representation of different types of actors. Such identities are associated with families, gender, age, religion and citizenship. The idea of a ‘sexual identity’ has also been recognized and proliferated. Narratives of cultural identity go by many other names including public narratives, cultural narratives, cultural stories, master narratives or schemata but Lotseke says that “Although each of these terms is located within broader sets of theoretical understanding, all refer to narratives of typical actors engaging in typical behaviours within typical plots leading to expectable moral evaluations.

Considerable attention is given to the stories created by politicians, media, and social activists. An example of these would be the fact that we listen to stories creating categorical identities of ‘Americans’ and ‘citizens’, and ‘enemies’ just by examining how presidents of the United States do what they do. We also look at how television talk shows create identities/narratives outsiders such as “sexual minorities”, “immoral sinners”, “the poor and the “crack mother”. There is also a so-called social movement which is creating new stories and new identities such as ‘gays’ and ‘lesbians’ and abused women. However, examining narrative authorship can be difficult. Stories authored by social activists, for example, are often changed when they are transmitted through the media. These stories can also have multiple authors. Stories told by professionals are welcomed more generously than those told by others and narratives told by disadvantaged people are often ignored.

Essentially, a good narrative is one that makes sense given what audiences think they know, what they value, what they regard as appropriate and what they think fits into context. Cultural narratives make use of circulating symbolic codes. The term, symbolic codes, has many other names and an example of symbolic codes would be Christmas gift giving, even though it is superficial and discrete. Gender, race, ethnicity, family, capitalism, democracy, individualism, family values, love, romance, sympathy and violence are also among such symbolic codes woven throughout social life. Symbolic codes surround cultural narratives of identities as they contain images of rights, responsibilities and expectations of people that concern the ‘norm’. Symbolic codes in the western world construct one main identity in contrast to another often as opposites, such as ‘single-sex’/hermaphrodite as in the Caster Semenya scenario.

The second type of narrative identity is that which construct institutional identities. These identities are similar to cultural identities as they both are formula stories creating categorical identities. There is, however, one major difference: while cultural narratives of identity may be evaluated as believable and important and may shape the symbolic world, narratives of institutional identities are consequential. Narratives of institutional identity shape the social world and its citizens’ life chances.

The construction of policy is not the result of discursive struggle but the policymaking process typically involves the construction of ‘causal stories’, which define the problem, its cause and the need for policy of particular types. The characters of these causal stories are called the policy’s ‘target population’. The proceedings and texts of policy can therefore be read as constructing institutional narratives of identities which include ‘taxi queen’ or ‘women victims’. These characters reside within moral domains in that some target moral people deserving sympathy and help while others target immoral people deserving condemnation and punishment.

As with cultural narratives of identity, we would expect narratives leading to institutional identities in policies would not always be good descriptions of the unique people who will experience the benefits and burdens of policies. This can be explained with four simple points: 1) Stories in policy hearings can be told but not heard, 2) These policy hearings do not always include testimony from people who will become targets of policy, 3) only some policy targets are allowed to tell their personal stories and hence informing policy and 4) the ensuing narrative of institutional identity would not be complex enough to encompass practical experience. Nonetheless, narratives of institutional identities have powerful social functions. They serve as justifications for policy and they categorize people into two groups: those who are and those who are not and therefore construct social boundaries.

Organizational narratives of identity are created by organizers and workers in organizations and groups of people who evaluate themselves as in having troubled identities in need of repair. Questions that arise are as follows: What are the relationships between narratives of institutional identities in public policy and those informing the specific organisations or groups designed to repair troubled identities? What is the work of organizational narratives? What are the relationships between organizational narratives of identity and personal narratives of people receiving social services?

Regardless of the origin of organizational narratives of identity, services have images of their ‘typical’ client because these images justify organizational procedures and services in different ways and therefore have different ideological clients. Identities no longer are securely rooted in religion, community or family. Social actors want a sense of coherent identity and they do experience a sense of personal identity over time. Making sense of practical experience requires constructing connections among life events. Rather than seeing a life as simply one thing after another, personal narratives make way for coherence and the possibility of linking life events together to make/construct meaning. Social actors locate the self within broad categorical identity communities but this privileges individualism, while isolating selves and hindering mobilization for social change. People are required to use socially circulating stories as a resource in crafting their own narratives of personal identity. Socially circulating narratives offer a model for making sense of the self as these types of narratives appear in the background of thinking and they sometimes filter perceptions in daily life. For example, women’s understandings of and exposure to abuse (via media and education) shape their understandings and exposure to their own experiences. Another example is when people with identity issues consciously seek out stories to make sense of their own troubles.

As cultural narrative identity is referred to as a social classification and representation, Mr. Silvio Berlusconi proves to be a member of the elite. As prime minister of Rome, Mr. Berlusconi displays a hierarchical and authoritative nature where he is in charge and command. The editor of a Roman Catholic newspaper, Mr. Dino Boffo, without choice, automatically represents the catholic community and has to be an example to those who read the newspaper. The Catholic Church has a moral duty to refrain from talking/writing about and enhancing negative issues such as divorce, teenage pregnancy or prostitution. As an editor for a catholic newspaper, one automatically takes the responsibility of representing the catholic community as moral, pure, religious individuals. Story themes of nationality and race have arisen as aspects of construction of identities although new categories of sexual identities have now been established. The community now recognizes the groups ‘gays’ and ‘lesbians’ and no longer refers to them as minorities, yet some people are still ridiculed for their sexual preference or identity especially those who are publicized. Mr. Dino Boffo, for example, is ridiculed for being a homosexual individual (allegedly). Perhaps this is due to his title as editor of a prestigious catholic newspaper where this is seen as hypocritical or perhaps the community, though modernized into a free and democratic view, still sees homosexuality as immoral. Although one is innocent until proven guilty, Mr. Dino Boffo is villianized just for being accused of being a homosexual and representing the Catholic Church under false pretences.

There is a great link between cultural and institutional narrative identities and yet there is also a great distinction. Both create actors engaged in acts with expectable moral evaluations. However, cultural narratives of identity may or may not be evaluated as believable while institutional identities are consequential. Institutional identity shapes the social world and those who live in it. The personal life of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is decribed as ‘spicy’ by the Avvenire newspaper. His personal life influences what people do and how people interact and it influences what people see as moral and immoral. As a member of the elite, Berlusconi is ideologically portrayed as strong, independent and in control. A direct quote that exemplifies this theory is “The lesson: No one can mess with Silvio Berlusconi, not even the church.” This may be taking a sarcastic approach but fact lies in the words themselves. In contrast, although Berlusconi is seen as strong and in charge, he is also indirectly seen as being cowardly. Firstly, he allows his brother to publish comments about Mr. Boffo, calling him a homosexual and a hypocrite within the Catholic Church and secondly he uses lawsuits to fight those critical of him which clearly shows that he not only is scared of catholic voters but he is also too weak to fight his own battles.

Organisational narratives of identity are designed for organisations for people who view themselves or have been viewed by others as having identities in need of repair. Mr. Boffo, for one, clearly needs his identity and reputation repaired. Whether truly guilty or not, his name has still been dragged through the media world and has been villianized by accusations alone. This often leads to questions about whether or not Boffo is guilty. For example, Boffo refers to Mr. Feltri’s comment “Or rather it was enough, it was enough, and it has been enough, only in the cases of two people: Jesus Christ for some of his miracles, and more recently Silvio Berlusconi for some of his dances with women who in truth were very available” as debasing journalism. Why does Boffo accuse Feltri of this when Boffo was found guilty at this point and issued with a fine? Another point that arises some questions is the fact Boffo is seen as guilty even though he denies all allegations. Why then would he resign? Boffo proves to be hiding something surely. This may show traces of resentment, fear, guilt, and embarrassment. Boffo also did not respond to any requests to comment which again, shows lack of coherence and honesty.

With personal narrative identity, religion, community and family may not always play a role. However, constructing coherent connections among life events and the different domains is definitely required. Apart from Berlusconi’s role as a member of the elite and as the Prime Minister he is also seen, by the editor of Il Foglio newspaper which is partly owned by Mr. Berlusconi’s wife, as egotistical. His ego, according to some, showcases slight arrogance and self-centeredness. Trying to do almost anything and dominating Italian public life to the exclusion of almost everything else including governing a country just to clear his name clearly shows selfishness and a narcissistic nature as well. Berlusconi is also seen as an evil man and some believe he will be “going to hell to meet all his enemies”. He clearly proves to be a man not really loved by the media or his community.

There are different relationships among different types of narrative identity and these relationships should be assumed. Many of our stories are constructed through social discourse which is often composed of a wide variety of narratives. These narratives should be noted and effectively resonated.