Social identity is often misunderstood, which is both problematic and unsurprising given the density of misinformation spreading in our culture. We believe and have significant evidence for the reality that identity is individually negotiated, socially constructed, and intersectional. Social construction has often been shaped by power and institutions that seek economic advantage and hierarchical power rather than fairness and equity. In the complex space between this conceptual framework lies possibility for understanding, consciousness and community or, as we have discovered, the potential for Cultivating Compassionate Coexistence. Each resource folder below begins with a short introduction and then lists documentaries, movies, journal articles, books, and other media cultivated by CCC for deepening understanding & building community.
Resources in these five categories are dynamic and will change periodically. We invite our former students and subscribers to offer suggestions and contributions to these pages. Email us with suggestions.
Social Construction of Race
Race is a biological myth. The Human Genome Project confirmed that a distinct genetic marker for race simply does not exist. Society created racial categories to establish social hierarchies, justify economic exploitation, and divide populations. Race remains a powerful social construct with real-world consequences.
ResourcesSocial Construction of Sex & Gender
Society creates, defines, and assigns meaning to behaviors, roles, and expectations associated with being male or female, while biological factors like hormones, genetics and reproductive anatomy can influence individual identity and health.
ResourcesSocial Construction of Class and Caste
Socioeconomic Class and Caste feel real and powerful in daily life, but they only exist because people maintain these through laws, traditions, and behaviors. Neither class nor caste is written into human DNA; people learn and enforce these divisions.
ResourcesSocial Construction of Disability
Society constructs disability by creating physical, organizational, and attitudinal barriers that turn an individual’s physical, sensory, or cognitive difference into a disabling restriction.
ResourcesSocial Construction of Religion and Spirituality
Human groups invent sacred symbols, moral rules, and institutional boundaries through shared interactions and cultural traditions. Sociologists and anthropologists show that these practices do not drop from the sky. Instead, people build them together over time.
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