Figure 1.1- Skylines of cities

1.2 Identity and Cities

Figure 1.1- Skylines of cities, Source - Pintrest Qualities or characteristics associated with a particular phenomenon that makes it unique or emphasises as a celebrated existence is an ‘Identity’. The term ‘identity’ has grown in popularity in various sectors, within the past few decades. Some might suggest that identity is to distinguish ‘self’ and the ‘other’; however it could in fact emphasise the relationship between the self and the otherness. Ranging from historical events to current political affairs; identities have always been associated inseparably playing a requisite role in their every phase. (Said, 2012)

Identity is based on how someone or something communicates, how it ‘speaks’ to others. Same is the case of cities all over the world. Cities have their own spirits. Cities speak of their past, their present and stand firmly to face their future. Cities and their citizen is one such relation that is imperative in establishing city’s identity. This is more pertinent when it comes to the meaning of identity in an urban environment. As it is described in social sciences, identities are mainly ‘socially constructed’ (Wendt, 1994); but these are significantly influenced by the environment and what takes place within it. Therefore, identity in an urban environment is to a greater or lesser degree defined by the environment’s elements and activities or events taking place within that environment.

Urban identities are meaningful entities to develop the spatial inter-relations and to endorse a relationship between the socio-environmental values and the essence of the space. What becomes important, therefore, is the relationship that identity builds up between human behaviour and the urban environment.

The identity of the city bears on the identity of those living in it, and vice versa: the urban environment reflects human needs and values. The city is a concentration of different, changing cultures which are creating new kinds of identity. London, New York, Madrid, Johannesburg and Mumbai are living examples of the “common sense of belonging based on cultural and linguistic diversity” referred to in one of the most challenging documents published by the European Union in recent years- Amin Maalouf’s 2008 report on Intercultural Dialogue. Cities are important in this context for a number of reasons:

They are living examples – laboratories – of what can be and how diverse communities may interrelate.

They are places where policy discourse can be created more easily. They are places where the constraints of national policies and national discourse can be modified or overcome. The city is the locus for multilingualism in all its functions – learning and using languages, and in all its sites – institutional, commercial, educational, and governmental.

It therefore provides a great opportunity to bring together policymakers and stakeholders at both local and national levels.

Cities also link to other cities, and provide the space where new generations are creating their new realities. Most importantly, cities are NOT national. They can be ‘Beyond the Nation’. (Shalit, 2011)