MYP History Cultural Identity and Expression Notes

How Did Culture Show Identity and Values?

1. Culture isn’t just something people consume, it’s something they use to express who they are, what they value, and how they see the world.
2. When societies experience dramatic changes, conflicts, migrations, or new technologies, their cultural expression shifts with them.
3. Art, literature, music, fashion, and performance all become mirrors of identity.

What Do We Mean by Cultural Identity?

1. Cultural identity refers to the shared beliefs, traditions, languages, foods, histories, and arts that shape a group of people.
2. People express identity through symbols (flags, patterns), rituals, stories, and images.
3. Culture gives people a sense of belonging, stability, and meaning.
4. When identity feels threatened: by war, colonisation, migration, or rapid change, cultural expression becomes even stronger.

How Does Culture Express Identity?

1. Through visual art, which can show pride, resistance, or community.
2. Through music and dance, which strengthen group bonds.
3. Through literature, which tells stories about values, beliefs, and collective experiences.
4. Through fashion, which communicates heritage, belonging, or rebellion.
5. Through rituals and ceremonies, which reinforce shared traditions.
6. Through language, which carries memory, humour, and worldview.

The First World War and Cultural Expression

1. WWI reshaped cultural identity on a massive scale. It produced trauma, disillusionment, patriotism, protest and a wave of new cultural expression.
   1. Soldiers, artists, and writers struggled to convey the horrors of trench warfare.
   2. Many believed the war shattered old values like honour, heroism, and nationalism.