Integration processes, regionalism and keeping of cultural identity

• Main Author: Koković Dragan D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Serbian Sociological Association, Belgrade 2002-01-01
• Series: Sociološki Pregled
• Subjects: culture; cultural identity; pluralism; differences; cultural integration; cultural disintegration; multiculturalism; interculturalism
• Online Access: http://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0085-6320/2002/0085-63200201163K.pdf

Today cultural identity is most frequently mentioned in relation to cultural relativism, but also to the unpleasant processes that neglects origins authenticity, home costumes and institutions in whole. On the other hand, we can ask how is it possible to have an attitude concerning the problem of culture, an attitude towards the concepts of freedom, universality democracy, openness, cosmopolitanism, etc. If we persistently pursue the criteria of cultural identity till its final, we will be able to conclude that every culture has its own truth. If a member of one culture only, can decide what is right and true, then we give up the possibility of simultaneous dialogue in advance, together with any kind of communication or co-operation. Then we usually say that cultures are unpredictable and hardly understandable among themselves. In other words, we have no right to judge something that lies out of the borders of our own culture. We cannot understand anybody or anything except ourselves. That fact brings us to the language of particularity ('tome life') instead of universality. Word 'cultural' directs us to anthropologic and sociologic analysis and meaning of identity. Cultural identity represents the link of an individual and his identity with culture of society. From this follows the fact that cultural identity is built under particular cultural and historical circumstances under that also determinate growth and development of culture itself. Discussions about cultural identity usually insist on respecting the right to be different, the 'experience of difference'. These differences are usually understood statically, compared and classified in hierarchy lines what provides us with stereotypic ethnic and cultural profile. That leads to closing and dogmatising the fruitful experience of difference. Many contemporary researches of cultural identity have in mind the cumulative impatience of subjects belonging to different cultures, recommending a search for similarities between them. They rightfully think that direction towards similarity seeking would bring us closer to realizing fundaments of cultural differences and bringing together members of different cultural groups.