1.2 How Does Identity Impact Us?
Our identities influence so many parts of our lives. They shape:
- How you view the world
- Where you find community
- Your values and beliefs
- Your social position
- How much power you hold in social and professional interactions
- Where you seek information and how you assess the value of different sources of information
Some of these influences might seem obvious, while others are more subtle or easier to overlook. Let’s unpack a few key concepts that help explain how identity connects to power and knowledge.
Social location refers to the unique set of identities and circumstances we each occupy within society. It is shaped by factors such as race, gender, class, sexual orientation, ability, religion, immigration status, and more. Social location is not just about who you are; it’s also about how your various identities intersect to shape your experiences and perspectives.
Your social position is the power, influence, and status that you hold in society. Not everyone has access to the same resources, agency, and opportunities. Social hierarchies can be built around things like socioeconomic status, gender, education level, race, and other identity markers.
Power is the ability to make or influence decisions that impact others.
Privilege is unearned power, benefits, advantages, access and/or opportunities that provide unfair advantage for members of the dominant social identity group(s) in society. Privilege isn’t always obvious, especially if you’ve always had it. Some examples include cisgender privilege, socioeconomic privilege, male privilege, and white privilege.
Positionality refers to how the differences in social position, power, and privilege, shape our identities, worldviews, and interactions with others. Positionality influences what we value as knowledge, where we seek information, and how we engage in knowledge production. It will also influence how we are perceived by others as knowledge holders.
Stop and Reflect
Take a moment to think about how your positionality shows up in your daily life.
- What impact does your positionality have on the way you think about the world and how you move through it?
- How does your positionality impact your relationships with others, or the assumptions you make about them?
- How does your positionality impact where you seek information and how you assess what sources are credible or valuable?
Watch the video below to hear some of us (your authors) answer these questions:
Activity 1.2: Read and Reflect
To dig a bit deeper into identity, read the following short article by Beverly Daniel Tatum on the Complexities of Identity:
https://uucsj.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/The-Complexity-of-Identity.pdf 
Tatum, B. D. (2000). The complexity of identity: “Who am I?.” In Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W. J., Hackman, H. W., Zuniga, X., Peters, M. L. (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice: An anthology on racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, heterosexism, classism, and ableism (pp. 9-14). New York: Routledge.
As you read, we encourage you to reflect on the following questions:
- Which aspects of your identity have privileged you (i.e., given you unearned advantages or access to certain opportunities)? In what ways have they privileged you?
- Which aspects of your identity have made you feel “othered” or different from the norm? Have you experienced barriers as a result of any of these identities?
- How has your social identity impacted how you view and interact with members of social groups different than your own?
All activities can also be found in a downloadable workbook. Visit the ‘Using this Resource‘ page to access the workbook in MS Word and PDF formats.
The unique set of identities and circumstances we each occupy within society, shaped by factors such as race, gender, class, sexual orientation, ability, religion, immigration status, and more. Social location is not just about who you are; it’s also about how your various identities intersect to shape your experiences and perspectives.
The status and power that an individual holds in society based on their social identities in relation to other individuals and social groups.
Access to resources such as information or knowledge, connections, experience and expertise, and decision-making authority that enables one to make or influence decisions that impact others or the world around them.
Unearned power, benefits, advantages, access and/or opportunities that provide unfair advantage for members of the dominant social identity group(s) in society.
The ways in which an individual’s social location influences access to power and resources, shapes their perception of the world, and affects how they are perceived by others.
