Who Are We - And Should It Matter in the 21st Century? [Paperback]

This book is not a discussion of identity from an existentialist perspective. Those of a more solipsistic disposition may prefer to buy Satre or Camus! This is about identity on a more political and social level.

Younge has clearly given this subject considerable thought, as it reads like a genuine attempt to examine the roots and realities of identity. It's not a polemic but a reflective and considered work. At various times identities intersect, confound and conflict, as they have done in the author's own life. The most compelling and enlightening passages were the ones that were biographical in nature. It helped to bring the topic to life.

It's a timely subject for examination given the current economic climate and the spectre of nationalism and growth of Far-Right parties. Younge's travels and travails tell us enough about some of the consequences of identity when it is used for nefarious ends or becomes fetishised.

The book also serves as a counterpoint to those who invoke the term `identity politics', as some kind of slur against those who have legitimate grievances of injustice. Sometimes great injustices are committed precisely because of one's identity.

I don't believe, and so it would seem neither does Younge, that most people agonize about their identity. But sometimes people are forced to respond to injustice on the grounds of their identity (whether individually or collectively). For example, the Civil Rights Movement in America was mobilised because black people were able to examine their condition as black people living under a racist system. The Civil Rights movement galvanized other marginalised groups, spawning Women's Liberation and Gay Rights movements, as they were able to identify their own struggle with that of black people. To deny the identity component of these struggles is at best blind, at worst in denial of the reality.

The book is global in perspective but zeros in on the national and local for illustration. We visit Ireland, South Africa, Rwanda and America to name but a few countries. Not only is it necessarily analytical yet highly readable, it's also infinitely quotable e.g. `...while identity is a crucial place to start, it is a terrible place to finish'. This pithy sentence perhaps best answers the book title's question.

Identity is a fact whether one is conscious of it or not. How much we should invest in our identities and that of others is a matter of context. This is the essence of Younge's argument. If I have one criticism (this really is only a quibble given the otherwise thumbs-up) is the tendency to labour this point somewhat, which can feel like repetition. At least there is no excuse for missing his point.

Whilst Younge may not be the first to venture into this area, he does provide an intelligent and valuable contribution. I have no hesitation in recommending this book.

I bought this book because I am particularly interested in Black identity issues in the light of the recent high profile success of men of mixed parentage such as Tiger Woods, and Barack Obama, who may or may not classify themselves as Black.
As I had hoped Younge tackles this topic head on in Chapter 3 - 'The Chronicles of Cablinasia'. But what I didn't expect was that he gave the same insightful and detailed examination of the racial identity of The Jews and The Irish, as well as taking in gender identity, European identity and the struggles of Muslims post 9-11. Awesome in its breadth and depth, a real accomplishment, and very timely.

This book is a thoughtful examination of race and identity in countries ranging from Britain, France, US, Ireland, Belgium, Rwanda, South Africa. The writer is himself a black Briton, living in New York. He tells how he failed to explain his background in Sudan and ended-up describing himself as Jamaican (as they had heard of Bob Marley). Black kids in New York could not understand why he had an English accent. We all have accents and identities. Test this out by moving to another country! The dominant group in any society assumes its identity is normal and others are judged in comparison to it.

Among the many excellent points he makes is that identity is constantly developing. There are no authentic identities but plenty of people trying to enforce a standard identity.