4. Tuesday, January 24, 2023, 1 pm (NY): "Manifesting Identities"

The identity issue has a strong connection with decolonization perspectives and opposition to diversity. Who, when, and how we have been named still impacts our life. One of the latest definitions of the concept of identity is answering the following question: who am I, where am I, and when am I? On the one hand, as Kobena Mercer observes, ‘identity may become an issue when something assumed to be fixed, coherent, and stables displaced by the experience of doubt and uncertainty’ (Mercer, 1994), which means we recognize our sense of self only in the identity crisis. On the other hand, people start discovering their identity as a resource of inner power through fighting for their individuality. The question is how the sense of being the other helps us transform vulnerability into stability. The Dialog will first present a short overview of identity as one of the central conceptions of diversity studies and invite the audience to a careful personal exploration of their identity to embrace it as a support.