Unleashing the Power of Collective Groups Formation of Social Identity

What is social identity? Humans are pack animals and are prone to operate and identify in groups Family- the most elemental and concrete Extended families and bands Extended networks formed by hunters and gatherers and pastoralists As cultures grew more complex, human group identities became more complex and abstract We all belong to and feel connection to several groups Some groups become more dominant Depends on many factors, primarily context Identity is a cultural construct and not immutable

What Group Identities Impact You? How did these identities develop? What powers do these identities give you? How can others use these identities to exercise power over you?

In Group and Out Group Identification Members of a group evolve a collective identity that shapes the behavior and values of individuals Member identity is shaped by a collective feeling as to group attributes- In group Tends to idealize the attributes of the group Tends to see association in group as in their best interest Members identify themselves by who they are not- out group Tend to minimize of vilify attributes of other groups

In-Group and Out Group Dynamics Identify three groups for which you identify What are some of the virtuous attributes of your group? Who are relevant out-groups for this identity? What are some of their less than virtuous attributes?

Religion and Identity Religion has been one of the most powerful and enduring identities in much of the world over much of its history Managing perceived supernatural forces… Enforced by God Most western religions had a powerful in-group-out group identity that strengthened identity Leaders who could convince enough people that they were acting in the name of God could mobilize significant numbers of people to make unbelievable sacrifices Cynics like Karl Marx argue that religion is a ruse to make people accept socio-economic inequality

Identity and the Study of World History Cultural and national identities have traditionally dominated people’s study of world history Religious national (and in the modern period) economic identities have dominated the way historians have framed history for textbooks These identities dominate because they bind large numbers of people over large areas for extended periods of time We need to keep in mind that these are not the only identities that inform how people decide to act collectively History simplifies the past in order to understand it, it does not recreate the past

Ethnic and Religious Identity: The Ottoman, Safavid and Mughal Empires These Empires emerged out of the chaos brought on by the Mongol and Timmurid invasions of the 13 th thru 15 th centuries All three were established by pastoral Turkish people who settled in the region from western China to Anatolia Like the Mongols of the region, they converted to the predominant religion of the region (Islam) Was this a conversion of the heart (spiritual conversion) or a cultural transformation or a way to engineer socio-political control over the region? Turkic tribes would organize the establishment of the Ottoman, Safavid and Mughal Empires

Islam and the Three Empires Ottoman Empire Arabic Islamic and Byzantine Christian identity in Eastern Mediterranean Historic connection to the Arab Caliphates of Damascus and Baghdad The Safavid Empire Arabic Islamic identity fused with ancient Persian culture Legacy of Shia Islam- rejecting the caliphate The Mughal Empire Islam existed as a minority religion in the Ganges Plain as a minority religion in Hindu India

The Key Question of Comparative Identities and the Islamic Empires What unique circumstances did each of these empires inherit when they established their governments? How did they mold the identities of the people in their empires to create enduring and vital societies How did they create in-group consciousness? Who were the out-groups? This was the nature of the question posted last week