Identity and statehood - A Contribution to Resolving the Identity Issues and Problems in Multiethnic and Multireligious States

Joković Pantelić, Milica S. (2023) Identity and statehood - A Contribution to Resolving the Identity Issues and Problems in Multiethnic and Multireligious States. In: Global trends and threats related with identities, cultural heritage, environment, creative communities, tourism and sustainable local/regional development. Center for Advanced Researches, pp. 21-29. ISBN 978-608-66817-1-5

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Abstract

The ‘I’ identity is the fundamental and essential human identity. It is surrounded by numerous ‘we’ identities. An individual’s identity is networked into group, i.e. collective identities. The networking of identities shows the depth of a person. It is essential that the ‘I’ identity is not cancelled by group identities. If ‘we’ is imposed over ‘I’, а person vanishes and becomes personless. Group, collective identities most often open problems and conflicts due to ideological action. When ideology interferes into identity, individual identities within a group are being cancelled, while the other group identities are being put in question. The ideologization of collective identities initiates intolerance towards all those who do not belong to our group. Intolerance-cum-exclusion leads to enmity and conflict. It is through the ideologisation of identity that prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination of others and the different are imposed. All those in my group who think differently are traitors, while all members of other groups are enemies. This is how the ‘friend and enemy’ pattern is established in the political field of state and society. The exit from this situation is the establishment of statehood identity within the state, under which all citizens – regardless of their ethnic and other identities – would be perceived in their collective identity of citizens. This, however, should not jeopardize their particular identities. Particular identities would belong to their privacy and should as such be legally guaranteed. Over time, a pattern of trust and respect would be established between different particular identities. Such approach to identity would preserve differences, but also find a similarity which would connect them within the state and society, thus bringing safety, stability, and normality into societal and political life.

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