Lecture notes: Identity

• Essentialism: we have a biological make up that makes us who we are.
• This brings with it a lot of stereotypes
• Post-modern theorists disagree with this

Phrenology: the idea that there is an ideal make-up - a picture of good health.

Physiognomy: you can tell a persons intelligence by the angle their face is from their brow to their chin.

•  Pre modern- born into identity and role
• Modern identity- you can choose your own identity
• Post Modern - you can construct your own identity

•  Pre Modern: farm worker, soldier, housewife, factory worker
• Modern: the flaneur, distinction, fashionable, 

• Post modern identity
• identity is defined by what we interact with

• Possible discourses: age, class, gender, education, income.

Worktown project: upperclass documenting the working class and poor:

Martin Parr: real pictures of common life, insight into their life and identity, a social commentary on class:

Anglo/ scottish relationship: identity in contrast to national relations.

Expressing identity through art:

Race and nationality as identity:

The introduction of androgyny:

Exploitation of women, female artists commenting on their own sexuality and the fact that they are female artists.

Feminism as a response to male oppression and the male gaze.

• You put on a different identity depending on who you are interacting with:

Barbara Kruger:

Creating an identity for yourself that can be nothing like you actually are: