Modern Western societies have increasingly placed identity at the forefront of social and organisational frameworks. From government policies to workplace initiatives, the focus on defining, categorising, and measuring identity has become a cornerstone of how we assess fairness, representation, and inclusion. This trend is especially evident in the UK, where institutions routinely collect data on ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and more through equality monitoring forms, staff surveys, and public consultations.
While the intention behind such efforts is often laudable, aiming to address systemic inequalities and ensure inclusivity, it raises important questions. Are these practices fostering cohesion or creating unnecessary divisions? Are we empowering individuals or burdening them with a need to self-define in increasingly narrow terms? Most crucially, is this relentless focus on identity distracting us from broader social objectives that could unite us rather than divide us?
This blog explores whether our emphasis on identity has become counterproductive, particularly in the context of community media. Community media, with its commitment to fostering dialogue and shared experiences, offers a unique perspective on how identity can be understood and represented in more constructive ways.
The Role of Organisations in Identity Monitoring
Organisations, particularly in the UK, have embraced identity monitoring as a key tool for demonstrating their commitment to equality and inclusion. From public institutions to private companies, collecting personal data on aspects such as gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and disability status has become standard practice. These efforts are often driven by regulatory requirements, funding obligations, or social accountability measures.
While such monitoring aims to promote fairness and representation, it raises important concerns. For example, equality forms regularly require individuals to declare sensitive information in categories that might not fully align with their lived experiences, beliefs or cultural heritage. This can feel intrusive or even alienating, especially when the information is collected without clear explanations of its purpose or use.
Moreover, the reliance on data collection to assess organisational success in meeting social objectives can be limiting. Numbers and categories do not always capture the complexity of human experiences, and overemphasising these metrics may shift the focus away from the broader goals of inclusivity and fairness. How does routinely emphasising difference enhance a sense of social solidarity? Does this run the risk of fostering a grievance culture in response to those who feel entitled by their position in the identity hierarchy that is manifested as a result?
Community media, by contrast, typically takes a more holistic approach. Rather than focusing on data-driven compliance, community media organisations prioritise lived experiences, dialogue, and shared storytelling. These approaches foster inclusivity without forcing individuals to define themselves in rigid terms, offering a potential alternative to the identity-focused practices seen in larger institutions.
Identity in the UK: A Unique Approach?
The UK’s approach to identity has been shaped by its multicultural history and a commitment to addressing systemic inequalities. Public institutions frequently emphasise diversity and inclusion through robust frameworks that require organisations to monitor and report on identity-based metrics. These include ethnicity pay gap analyses, gender balance targets, and initiatives aimed at increasing representation among historically marginalised groups.
While these measures are well-intentioned, they can sometimes compel individuals to scrutinise aspects of their identity in ways that feel overly prescriptive or reductive. For example, equality monitoring forms often offer a limited set of predefined categories, which may not resonate with everyone. This can leave individuals questioning how, or even if, they fit into the categories being assessed.
The UK’s focus on identity extends into community media, where diversity and representation are frequently central to funding criteria and editorial priorities. However, community media organisations frequently approach these challenges differently. Instead of relying solely on demographic data, they create platforms for people to tell their stories, reflecting the nuances of their identities in ways that traditional monitoring cannot. Bringing people together based on their shared interest in social activities, or in the sense of identity rooted in a specific place, offers a different model of engagement than blunt identity profiles manifest.
This raises a critical question: Is the UK’s identity-focused approach helping to build a more inclusive society, or is it inadvertently creating divisions by emphasising differences over shared experiences? To explore this further, we can compare how other countries approach identity issues and the lessons we might learn from their perspectives.
International Comparisons: A Broader Perspective
The way societies approach identity differs widely across the globe, offering valuable insights into the UK’s focus on identity-based frameworks. While some countries have embraced identity politics as a core part of their societal structure, others have taken a markedly different path, prioritising shared values or universalist ideals over individual categorisation.
France: A Universalist Approach
France’s model of secularism, or laïcité, aims to minimise the role of identity in public life. The state avoids recognising ethnic or religious identities in official data, arguing that this approach promotes equality by treating all citizens as individuals rather than members of specific groups. However, critics argue that this model can ignore systemic inequalities, making it harder to address discrimination effectively.
Germany: Historical Reconciliation and Integration
In Germany, identity discussions are deeply influenced by the country’s history. Efforts to integrate immigrant communities focus on fostering shared cultural and social values rather than rigidly categorising people by race or ethnicity. While Germany collects demographic data, it does so with sensitivity to privacy and historical context, balancing the need for inclusion with the risks of overemphasis on identity.
South Korea: Homogeneity and Generational Divides
South Korea’s relative cultural homogeneity has historically limited discussions of identity based on race or ethnicity. Instead, issues such as gender roles, age hierarchies, and generational divides take centre stage. As the country becomes more diverse through immigration and globalisation, identity is beginning to play a larger role, but it remains a secondary concern compared to economic and social cohesion.
United States: The Polarising Role of Identity Politics
In contrast, the United States has made identity politics a central element of its social and political landscape. From affirmative action policies to the rhetoric of social justice movements, identity is often the lens through which issues of equity and representation are debated. While this approach has empowered many marginalised groups, it has also been criticised for fostering division and polarisation, particularly in the political sphere.
Lessons for the UK
These varied approaches highlight that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to managing identity in society. The UK might benefit from examining these models to strike a balance between recognising individual identities and fostering broader social cohesion. For community media, this could mean learning from countries like France, where storytelling transcends identity, or Germany, where integration efforts focus on shared goals.
The Risks of Overemphasising Identity
Focusing too heavily on identity, while well-intentioned, can lead to several unintended consequences. These risks highlight the importance of re-evaluating whether our current approaches are truly fostering inclusivity or inadvertently creating new challenges.
Fragmentation: Dividing Rather than Uniting
By categorising individuals into increasingly specific identity groups, we risk fostering a sense of “us versus them.” This fragmentation can make it harder to build a cohesive society where people prioritise common goals over their differences. Instead of promoting solidarity, such an approach may exacerbate divisions, particularly when resources or recognition are perceived as unequally distributed among groups.
Alienation: Forcing Self-Definition
Mandatory self-identification can feel intrusive or alienating for individuals who do not neatly fit into predefined categories or who prefer not to foreground certain aspects of their identity. For example, someone who identifies as mixed-race might find it difficult to choose a single box on a form, while others might feel uncomfortable declaring their sexual orientation or gender identity in a professional or organisational setting.
Unless there is a good reason for the collection of certain forms of identity data, no one should ever be compelled to make a statement of their identity, unless they are willing to declare the information themselves. Compelled speech, however well-meaning, cannot be justified in a democracy.
Loss of Commonality: Eroding Shared Goals
An overemphasis on identity may shift focus away from shared values and collective objectives. For example, organisations might prioritise hitting diversity targets over creating genuinely inclusive environments. This can undermine the sense of belonging for all, as individuals come to see themselves more as representatives of specific groups than as contributors to a shared mission or purpose.
Community Media’s Role in Avoiding These Pitfalls
Community media offers a valuable counterbalance to these risks. By focusing on shared narratives and collective storytelling, it provides a platform where individuals can connect over common experiences rather than be defined solely by their differences. This approach fosters mutual understanding and breaks down the barriers that identity-focused categorisation can create.
For example, a community radio programme might feature voices from across a local area, highlighting diverse perspectives without requiring participants to define themselves solely by identity categories. This creates space for dialogue and understanding while maintaining a focus on shared goals and aspirations.
Balancing Identity with Social Cohesion
If the risks of overemphasising identity are clear, the question becomes: how can we foster equality and inclusion without losing sight of shared values and social cohesion? Striking this balance requires a shift in how organisations and societies approach identity, with community media playing a pivotal role in this rethinking.
- Focus on Shared Values Over Rigid Categories
Instead of categorising individuals into narrowly defined identity groups, organisations can emphasise shared values and collective goals. For example, rather than prioritising demographic quotas, organisations might focus on creating environments where everyone feels valued and heard. Community media excels in this area by amplifying voices from all walks of life, encouraging collaboration rather than comparison.
- Make Self-Declaration Voluntary and Contextual
Organisations should reconsider the mandatory nature of identity declarations, offering individuals the choice to participate and ensuring the process is respectful and meaningful. This approach respects privacy while still allowing for the collection of valuable data. Community media’s storytelling format often provides a voluntary and organic way for people to share aspects of their identity in their own terms, fostering authenticity and trust.
- Measure Outcomes, Not Just Metrics
Shifting the focus from identity metrics to actual outcomes is another critical step. For instance, instead of measuring success by the number of individuals from underrepresented groups in an organisation, we could assess whether all individuals feel included and have equitable opportunities to succeed. Community media can model this approach by prioritising stories that demonstrate positive change, regardless of whether the storytellers fit specific demographic profiles.
- Use Media to Build Bridges, Not Walls
Community media can act as a unifying force, bringing people together around shared experiences and aspirations. This requires creating spaces where diverse perspectives are welcomed and where identity is a point of connection rather than division. Programmes that explore universal themes—such as health, education, or local history—can help communities see past differences and work toward common goals.
The Role of Community Media in Leading Change
Community media organisations are uniquely positioned to demonstrate how inclusivity and cohesion can coexist. By prioritising dialogue and shared narratives, they can offer an alternative to the more rigid identity frameworks often found in larger institutions. This approach not only fosters a greater sense of belonging but also strengthens communities by focusing on what unites them.
Conclusion: Rethinking Identity in Modern Society
The increasing focus on identity in modern Western societies, while rooted in worthy intentions, raises critical questions about its effectiveness and impact. Are we empowering individuals and fostering inclusion, or are we inadvertently creating divisions and alienation? As the UK continues to grapple with these issues, lessons from other countries and the example set by community media offer valuable insights.
Community media demonstrates that inclusivity doesn’t have to come at the expense of cohesion. By fostering dialogue, amplifying diverse voices, and prioritising shared experiences, it provides a model for how identity can be represented constructively and respectfully. This approach reminds us that while our individual identities are important, they need not overshadow the shared values and aspirations that unite us.
As we move forward, it’s worth asking whether our current practices are achieving their intended goals or whether they need to be reimagined. Can we shift from categorising people into rigid identities to celebrating the complexity and interconnectedness of human experience? Most importantly, can we build societies where everyone feels valued, not because of how they fit into a form, but because of the contributions they make and the stories they share?
At Decentered Media, we believe that the future of inclusivity lies in fostering dialogue, not division. We want to encourage deep reflection on our own experiences, without resorting to a simplistic or formulaic set of identity-focused policies and practices. Do we feel we can promote equality in a more creative and integrated manner, and are we able to recognise that the present obsession with collating data itself is creating unintended barriers?
The work we will be doing in the future will look at:
- How can organisations foster inclusion without overemphasising identity?
- What roles community media can play in bridging divides and strengthening social cohesion?
Join the conversation by sharing your thoughts and experiences. Let’s work together to build a society where identity is respected, but not at the expense of unity.