Performative Identity
Based on Dr. Heidi R. Bean's reference to Gertrude Stein's particular way of identity construction by iteration in her writing, performative identity, in the scope of my discourse, refers to the selective, intentional, iterative and interactive nature of the mutable identity of the third culture, third culture kids, and subsequently the Culture 3.0.
Fluid Identity
The idea of a fluid identity and the autonomy to negotiate one’s full or preferred self is central in my investigation of the third-culture’s — or simply, multi-culture people’s — way of communication.
In a way, we are all performers; we perform the roles that is expected of us or suits us depending on the occasion. In my personal experience, more often than not I am never desired for the whole of me, and that fact sometimes play to my advantage, sometimes at my peril.
Language
I want to reinforce that beyond the conventional definitions of "language" defined by Oxford Languages — the principal method of human communication, consisting of words used in a structured and conventional way and conveyed by speech, writing, or gesture — here the nature of language and the significance of it also shifts.
For the third culture, language is a tool they have come to learn as a way to communicate and achieve their goals. For the third culture kids, language is a means for survival and recognition of identity. For the Culture 3.0, I believe language is at least all that, but also a medium for their mutative identities; the role of language seeps into their cognition, their acts, and with the change of language so does their being change, and this process is much faster, much more seamless than most realize.
Autonomy
Merriam-Webster
Essential —> the state of existing or acting separately from others / the power or right of a country, group, etc., to govern itself.
Full —> the quality or state of being self-governing / self-directing freedom and especially moral independence /
Culture 3.0 Context
The power to choose one’s identity regardless of social, political and place expectations. The power to negotiate that choice.
Negotiation
Oxford Languages
discussion aimed at reaching an agreement / the action or process of transferring ownership of a document
Merriam-Webster
/negotiate/
v. [intransitive verb] —> to confer with another so as to arrive at the settlement of some matter
v. [transitive verb] —> to deal with matter or affair that requires ability for its successful handling / to arrange for a bring about through conference, discussion, and compromise / to transfer to another by delivery or endorsement / to successfully travel along or over.
Reification
Merriam-Webster
The process of reifying — to consider or represent something abstract as a material or concrete thing.
Culture 3.0 Context
It is a word in concept that I think underlies my current process of developing a pedagogy and vocabulary around this idea of an evolved third-culture population, and giving them a place by turning their vague and unrecognized commonalities into a concrete set of communications discourse.
Third Culture
Mostly referring to the expats who left their countries of birth to take up roles of cultural exchange in a foreign country. Examples include, but not limited to, the British Colony Officers, missionaries, educators, technical aids, and military outposts officers.
I consider them the original culture makers, who matured in their country of birth and made the decision to take on a cultural exchange role.
Third Culture Kids/ATCKs
The original definition by Useem and Ann Baker Cotterell in the late 50s was "the children who accompany their parents into another societies." Those who live for any period of time outside of their passport countries because of their parents' career. ATCKs (adult third culture kids) then refers to these third culture kids when they have grown up.
I consider them the second generation culture makers. They know their country of origin, although may or may not have been born and raised in it, and have the clear trajectory to eventually relocate back to their parent's societies.
Bridge
Merriam-Webster
n. —> a structure carrying a pathway over a depression or obstacle / a time, place or means of connection or transition / music : a passage linking two sections of a composition / chemistry : a connection that joins two different parts of a molecule.
v. [transitive verb] —> to make a bridge over or across / to provide with a bridge
Culture 3.0 Context
Bridge —> the great mediator, the service / the connection
Bridge —> the understanding link, the communicator /
Bridge —> the controller of passage, the chooser
Bridge —> the autonomous multi-tasker / the negotiator
Culture 3.0
These are the generation of people who call multiple cultures home and have adopted a mutable sense of self identity that take all of their identified home cultures into consideration.
The main distinction of the Culture 3.0 is their autonomy and identities. They may have a third culture kid beginning but have later chosen to remain in a position over the cross-cultural boundaries. Their various sense of identity also means that they do not look at things from a single cultural point of view: to them, the reality and assumptions is that there can never be a fixed and finite assumption.
In an attempt to differentiate them from the original understanding of the third culture and third culture kids, I call them Culture 3.0.
*also important to note is, while these may consist of infinite combinations of cultures, for the scope and purpose of my MFA exploration I will mainly focus on the Chinese - western Culture 3.0 population. Perhaps even just on the Taiwan - Western Culture 3.0.