Identity models for the 21 st Century EVANGELINA HOLVINO, Ed.D. © 2010 CHAOS MANAGEMENT, LTD. Simultaneity

What’s In A Place? Complicating Identity I am from Puerto Rico I’m also from Vermont Lived there For the past 27 years No. Really! (But, a P.R. in Vermont?) My accent you mean? Why not Puerto Rican? Not from New York Not poor Not the stereotype Not uneducated In the mainland/ USA citizen Complicated political relation “Between” Latin America & U.S.A. But… where are you from? 2

Popular Models of Identity TREAT DIFFERENCES AS Essential Essential Innate Innate Fixed Fixed Independent and additive variables Independent and additive variables Reified and universal 3

Example SOCIAL IDENTITY GROUPS Sexual Orientation 1992: Bailey Jackson, Ed.D.; New Perspectives, Inc.; Amherst, MA. Class Mental Ability Physical Ability Gender Age Religion Ethnicity Race 4

Age Gender Sexual Orientation Mental/Physical Abilities & Characteristics Ethnic Heritage Race Regional Location Heritage Firm Social Class Economic Status Religion Education Family Status Language/ Accent Work Experience Work Style Organizational Role and Level Communication Style Leadership Learning Style Marilyn Loden, Implementing Diversity. Irwin Professional Publishing. IDENTITY WHEEL Example 5

An Alternative: Postcolonial Feminist Models TREAT DIFFERENCES AS Relational Relational Socially constructed Socially constructed Subjective identities and social processes Subjective identities and social processes Power relations Power relations Interdependent & interacting Interdependent & interacting Historically specific and changing 6

Example INTERSECTIONALITY GR EC 1992: Bell & Nkomo. 7

Simultaneity Race Ethnicity Gender Class Sexuality Nationality 8

Simultaneity… Identity(ies) is/are multiple, contradictory, situational Identity(ies) is/are multiple, contradictory, situational Race, ethnicity, gender, class, nationality, sexuality … Race, ethnicity, gender, class, nationality, sexuality … … are simultaneous processes of identity, institutional, and social practice 9

Simultaneity in action 10

11 Simultaneity in action

Some Practical Skills Flexibility, e.g., speaking in 2+voices Flexibility, e.g., speaking in 2+voices Owning complexity & multiplicity Owning complexity & multiplicity Managing expectations & pressure for singularity Managing expectations & pressure for singularity Thinking “location” in time and space, e.g., history and context Thinking “location” in time and space, e.g., history and context Effort, i.e. to hold on to the “selves” Effort, i.e. to hold on to the “selves” 12

Q & A 13 What would it mean for you to embrace simultaneity?

Recommended reading: Bell & Nkomo. Our Separate Ways Bell & Nkomo. Our Separate Ways Dhingra, P. Managing Multicultural Lives: Asian American Professionals… 2007 Dhingra, P. Managing Multicultural Lives: Asian American Professionals… 2007 Holvino, E. Intersections: The simultaneity …Gender, Work and Organization, 5/2010 and Theories of differences: Changing Paradigms…In D. Plummer, Handbook of Diversity Management Holvino, E. Intersections: The simultaneity …Gender, Work and Organization, 5/2010 and Theories of differences: Changing Paradigms…In D. Plummer, Handbook of Diversity Management Smith, Z. Speaking in Tongues. In Changing my mind Smith, Z. Speaking in Tongues. In Changing my mind Weber, L. Understanding race, class, gender and sexuality…2010. Weber, L. Understanding race, class, gender and sexuality…

Thank you EVANGELINA HOLVINO, Ed.D. CHAOS MANAGEMENT, LTD. 178 Meetinghouse Lane BRATTLEBORO, VT Dr. Holvino is also Affiliate Faculty Center for Gender in Organizations, Simmons College, Boston, Massachusetts 15