What are the factors that shape the identities of people and contribute to a diverse society?

G3 Social Studies - syllabus K336 (Social Studies component), 2027

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Explain how race and ethnicity, religion, socio-economic status and nationality shape identity, and why people within the same group can differ.

• Overlapping identities

  Identity is how people understand who they are and the groups they belong to. A person can have several identities at once.

• Race and ethnicity

  Race is a social way of grouping people, often using perceived appearance and ancestry, or family origins. Ethnicity concerns connections through heritage, language, customs and history. Neither fixes a person's abilities or behaviour.

• Religion

  Religion can shape beliefs, values, daily practices and belonging to a faith community. People within a religion can experience and practise it differently.

• Socio-economic status

  Socio-economic status is a person's or household's social and economic position. Income, education, occupation and access to resources help explain it; income alone is not the whole picture.

• Nationality

  Nationality is a person's legal connection to a country, usually expressed through citizenship. It is different from ethnicity, birthplace, current residence and a personal feeling of belonging.

• Identity in different situations

  Different parts of identity can matter more in different situations. Experiences over time can also change how people understand and express who they are.

These sources were written for this chapter's practice questions.