Smart Metropolia 2014, AmberExpo Gdańsk

2. According to Zygmunt Bauman (2005) regional
identities are seen as inferior in the current
times.
Our “liquid modernity” prefers international
multicultural eclectic identities.

3. What is an identity? It is a narration by myself
on myself according to Anthony Giddens
(1991).

4. Once we were encouraged to piece all our
identity puzzle pieces together to create a
consistent and insightful narrative.
According to Bauman “liquid modernity”
prompts us to use the identity puzzle pieces
differently: time and again try out new
configurations.

5. According to Stone & Heen (2014) identity labels
are such puzzle pieces.
They state that the simpler the pieces, the more
all-or-nothing our identities, the more
defensive we are and the less open for
feedback and learning.

6. Openness for feedback and learning is what we
need in “liquid modernity” – we need to be
able to adapt.
But according to Bauman we should also resist
“liquid modernity”.

7. For Bauman education is the key to resistance. It
is our only hope to a modicum of self-respect.
What we should learn? Civic skills to deal with
otherness: dialogue, negotiation, mutual
understanding, resolving conflicts.

8. The implications for local identities:
• They should not bring us simple, non-negotiable
identity labels – stemming from an
automatic belonging (Bauman, 2004)
• They should empower civic skills