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The Global Identity 全球身份
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to read about eligibility for immigration.
ADVENTURER: During the twentieth century, the world underwent continuous change as empires crumbled and small nations asserted their independence. In the twenty first century, however, we're faced with a different kind of change and with this change comes a difficult and controversial question: as our world becomes increasingly globalized can a country still maintain some kind of "national identity"? "National identity" can be thought of as the rituals, traditions and beliefs of the people of a nation. However, as the demographics of countries change due to immigration and emigration, the concept of national identity is itself undergoing a complex change. On the one hand, those who leave their home and move to another country have an already well established identity, based on race, language, religion, history, food, clothing and music that they bring to their new country.
ADVENTURER1: On the other hand, residents of a country feel their nation's identity changing due to the different customs and beliefs of immigrants. This mixing up of different kinds of people living in the same country is called "multiculturalism". And the topic of debate in many multicultural societies is that of national identity when so many cultures do exist side by side. What is it that really defines our national identity? Think of the country where you live or in which you were born.
ADVENTURER2: What would you say were the things that define it, define you? Language, food, tradition? Yet, is there anything deeper than these factors that could bring people together? Is there a way of looking at different cultures, different kinds of people, and seeing the similarities, instead of the differences? The French national flag is made up of red, white and blue, colors which represent the values "liberty", "equality" and "fraternity".
ADVENTURER3: If these are truly taken to heart then we can see how different people with different lifestyles, behaviors can begin to coexist. Think about the nation where you live or in which you were born. What are the values that bind everyone together? Are they changing? What values would you like your new, 21st century national identity to include?
