Identity models Identity models for the 21for the 21stst CenturyCenturyEVANGELINA HOLVINO, Ed.D.

© 2010 CHAOS MANAGEMENT, LTD.

SimultaneiSimultaneityty

What’s In A Place?What’s In A Place?Complicating IdentityComplicating Identity

I am from Puerto RicoI am from Puerto Rico

I’m also from Vermont

Lived thereFor the past

27 years

No.

Really!

(But, a P.R.in Vermont?)

My accent you mean?

Why notPuerto Rican?

Notfrom New York

Not poor

Not thestereotype

Not uneducated

In the mainland/

USA citizenComplicated

politicalrelation

“Between”Latin America

& U.S.A.

But…

where are youfrom?

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Popular Models of Popular Models of IdentityIdentity

TREAT DIFFERENCES ASTREAT DIFFERENCES AS

•EssentialEssential

• Innate Innate

•FixedFixed

• Independent and additive variablesIndependent and additive variables

Reified and universal Reified and universal

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ExampleExample

SOCIAL IDENTITY GROUPSSOCIAL IDENTITY GROUPS

SexualOrientation

1992: Bailey Jackson, Ed.D.; New Perspectives, Inc.; Amherst, MA.

Class MentalAbility

PhysicalAbility

Gender Age

Religion Ethnicity Race

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Age Gender

SexualOrientation

Mental/PhysicalAbilities &

Characteristics

EthnicHeritage

Race

RegionalLocation

HeritageFirm Social

Class

EconomicStatus

ReligionEducation

FamilyStatus

Language/Accent

WorkExperience

WorkStyle

OrganizationalRole and Level

CommunicationStyle

StyleLeadership

LearningStyle

1996. Marilyn Loden , Implementing Diversity. Irwin Professional Publishing.

IDENTITY IDENTITY WHEELWHEEL

ExampleExample

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An Alternative:An Alternative:Postcolonial Feminist Postcolonial Feminist ModelsModels

TREAT DIFFERENCES ASTREAT DIFFERENCES AS

• RelationalRelational

• Socially constructedSocially constructed

• Subjective identities and social processesSubjective identities and social processes

• Power relationsPower relations

• Interdependent & interactingInterdependent & interacting

Historically specific and Historically specific and changingchanging

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ExampleExample

INTERSECTIONALITYINTERSECTIONALITY

G R

E C

1992: Bell & Nkomo. 7

SimultaneitySimultaneity

Race

Ethnicity

Gender

Class

Sexuality

Nationality

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Simultaneity…Simultaneity…

•Identity(ies) is/are multiple, Identity(ies) is/are multiple, contradictory, situational contradictory, situational

•Race, ethnicity, gender, class, Race, ethnicity, gender, class, nationality, sexuality …nationality, sexuality …

… … are are simultaneoussimultaneous processes of processes of identity, institutional, and social identity, institutional, and social practicepractice

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Simultaneity in Simultaneity in actionaction

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Simultaneity in actionSimultaneity in action

Some Practical SkillsSome Practical Skills

• Flexibility, e.g., speaking in 2+voicesFlexibility, e.g., speaking in 2+voices

•   Owning complexity & multiplicityOwning complexity & multiplicity

•   Managing expectations & pressure for Managing expectations & pressure for singularitysingularity

•   Thinking “location” in time and space, Thinking “location” in time and space, e.g., history and context e.g., history and context 

•Effort, i.e. to hold on to the “selves”Effort, i.e. to hold on to the “selves”

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Q & AQ & A

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•What would it mean for you to embrace simultaneity?

Recommended Recommended reading:reading:

• Bell & Nkomo. Bell & Nkomo. Our Separate Ways.Our Separate Ways. 2001 2001

• Dhingra, P. Dhingra, P. Managing Multicultural Lives: Asian Managing Multicultural Lives: Asian American Professionals…American Professionals… 2007 2007

• Holvino, E. Intersections: The simultaneity …Holvino, E. Intersections: The simultaneity …Gender, Gender, Work and OrganizationWork and Organization, 5/2010 and Theories of , 5/2010 and Theories of differences: Changing Paradigms…In D. Plummer , differences: Changing Paradigms…In D. Plummer , Handbook of Diversity Management. 2003.Handbook of Diversity Management. 2003.

• Smith, Z. Smith, Z. Speaking in Tongues. Speaking in Tongues. In Changing my mind. In Changing my mind. 20092009..

• Weber, L. Weber, L. Understanding race, class, gender and Understanding race, class, gender and sexuality…sexuality…2010.2010.

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Thank youThank youEVANGELINA HOLVINO, Ed.D.EVANGELINA HOLVINO, Ed.D.CHAOS MANAGEMENT, LTD.CHAOS MANAGEMENT, LTD.178 Meetinghouse Lane178 Meetinghouse LaneBRATTLEBORO, VT 05301BRATTLEBORO, VT 05301802.257.5218802.257.5218holvino@chaosmanagement.comholvino@chaosmanagement.com

www.chaosmanagement.comwww.chaosmanagement.com

Dr. Holvino is also Affiliate Faculty Dr. Holvino is also Affiliate Faculty Center for Gender in Organizations, Simmons College, Center for Gender in Organizations, Simmons College, Boston, MassachusettsBoston, Massachusetts

www.simmons.edu/som/cgowww.simmons.edu/som/cgo

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