IDENTITY POLITICS

“Political identities refer to identification with and meaning attributed to membership in politically relevant groups, including political parties and national, ethnic, linguistic, or gender groups” – Huddy (2013)

The term ‘identity politics’ is typically coined as a political movement in Western societies. According to many who deem themselves as advocates of identity politics, it centres the experiences of those facing systemic oppression; the purpose is to better understand the result of racial, economic, and gender-based oppression (and others) and to ensure no one group is wrongly affected by political actions.

Identity politics emerged out of the Black civil rights movement in the 60s, it questioned the state of the political world at the time and looked to helping underprivileged groups that had experienced oppression in their lifetime.

“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.

– Audre Lorde

CULTURE WAR

Culture wars is disagreements about cultural and social beliefs between groups, especially between people with more conservative conservative opinions and people with more progressive opinions and the struggle for dominance of their values, beliefs, and practices.

These conflicts can help bring light to issues that need addressing but can cause heated debates and social diversions.

Perry’s interview in Sheri Berman’s article:  ‘Why identity politics benefits the right more than the left‘