1. Prof. Dr. S. Weigelin-Schwiedrzik Culture and Identity Folie 1 Culture and Identity A complex question An interdisciplinary approach An old problem coming up again as a consequence of Globalization

2. Prof. Dr. S. Weigelin-Schwiedrzik Culture and Identity Folie 2 What is Identity?

3. Prof. Dr. S. Weigelin-Schwiedrzik Culture and Identity Folie 3 Identity: primordial or constructed ? excluding or including ? concrete or abstract ? Identity as primordial - Exclusion -Difference -Past -"natural" based on the psychology of the individual Identity as constructed -Inclusion -Unity -Future -"artificial" based on the philosophy of globalism

4. Prof. Dr. S. Weigelin-Schwiedrzik Culture and Identity Folie 4 What is Culture ? Is culture shared or do people share cultures ? Are we born into cultures or do we have the choice between cultures ? CULTURE IS A SOCIAL PROGRAM OF CONSTRUCTING KNOWLEDGE THROUGH AUTONOMOUS INDIVIDUALS CULTURE is dynamic CULTURE is flexible CULTURE is integrative BUT: within the limits of shared TRADITIONS

5. Prof. Dr. S. Weigelin-Schwiedrzik Culture and Identity Folie 5 TRADITION is a set of selected SYMBOLS and RITUALS valid at a certain TIME and PLACE based on the PAST EXPERIENCE of collectives with SHARED IDENTITIES

6. Prof. Dr. S. Weigelin-Schwiedrzik Culture and Identity Folie 6 CULTURE – TRADITION - IDENTITY Comparing different cultures

7. Prof. Dr. S. Weigelin-Schwiedrzik Culture and Identity Folie 7 GLOBALIZATION and the PARTICULARITY of CULTURES Culture as a blind spot ! When we come to think about it, it is a problem. Is GLOBALIZATION our problem ? Is the STRANGER the personality of a globalized future? Nobody wants to be a STRANGER at home. The winners and losers of GLOBALIZATION react differently to the challenge of GLOBALIZATION: WINNERS look into the future in fear of the past. LOSERS look back at the past in fear of the future. Do we need a global IDENTITY for a global ECONOMY?

8. Prof. Dr. S. Weigelin-Schwiedrzik Culture and Identity Folie 8 The ability to CHANGE PERSPECTIVES is the key competence we need in order to cope with and construct the GLOBALIZED WORLD: Individual identity based on difference. Collective identity based on tolerance. National identity based on understanding. The CULTURE of the globalized world is the CULTURE of UNDERSTANDING the PARTICULARITY of regional and national CULTURES as the basis of MUTUAL RESPECT.