Adichie, Chimamanda. “The Danger of a Single Story.” TED, 2009.
This TED lecture is a valuable source of information on the researched topic of identity and freedom, which emphasizes the importance of cultural identity as a path to freedom. Adichie creates a narration of her biography through the discussion of her journey toward becoming her authentic self, who is a Nigerian. The author argues that due to the continuous stereotyping and biased attitudes, people often lose connection to their authenticity, which limits the freedom of their being. Using her own example, Adichie illustrates how the dominance of English culture in Nigeria imposed foreign standards on her as an individual whose identity was constrained by the expectations of the Western world. This source is a powerful message that identifies the inherent link between freedom and identity.
The credibility of this source is validated by the credential of the author, who is a renowned Nigerian writer. Her integration of autobiography into the narration of a cultural and philosophical argument provides strong support, which is essential for the research. Moreover, the speech contributes a cultural perspective to the overall discussion of the relationship between identity and freedom. In combination with religious and feminist perspectives, it comprises a multifaceted basis for the interpretation of the relationship between the two concepts.
Doherty, John F. “Freedom and Identity.” Journal of the Witherspoon Institute, 2021.
This article is a compilation of perspectives on the relationship between religious freedom and the identity of believers. It is a theoretical discussion based on Doherty’s findings from scholars and theologists. The author argues that freedom is an internal phenomenon, one that each individual should feel so that they can liberate themselves from others and their circumstances. Building the discussion on religious grounds, Doherty claims that different religions impose restrictions on human freedom, which hinders the very nature of the phenomenon. Thus, it is essential to differentiate between external and internal freedom as informed by different religious confessions.
The reliability of this source is validated by the credentials and experience of the author. Moreover, the arguments are supported by quotations throughout the writing, which strengthens the credibility of the information. In the context of the proposed research, this source will be a valuable asset since it provides a strong religious discussion of freedom in relation to identity.
Thalos, Mariam. “More than False Choices and Options, the Highest Freedom Lies in Being True to Oneself and Defying the Expectations of Others.” Aeon, 2019. Web.
This article attempts to integrate social and philosophical characteristics of freedom as it relates to human behavior. Thalos refers to renowned philosophers to define the terms freedom and liberty to clarify the relationship of these concepts to natural and social paradigms within which humans live. The author argues that while freedom is commonly viewed in relation to a liberation from others’ restraints, its essence is in individuals’ self-conceptions. A free person is one who has the liberty to identify with any personality they want.
To assess this source, one might state that the quality of evidence is validated by the author’s competence, a renowned scholar in philosophical studies. Moreover, the repeated reference to classic and contemporary thinkers’ theories and arguments provides a compelling basis for the credibility of the article. In terms of reflection, the source is a useful contribution to the research on the interdependence between freedom and identity. Since Thalos provides a logical explanation and validation that the essence of freedom is based on self-conception, the connection is evident. The source will be used as a ground-forming one for the research to establish theoretical, philosophical premises.
Topidi, Kyriaki. “Religious Freedom, National Identity, and the Polish Catholic Church: Converging Visions of Nation and God.” Religions, vol. 10, no. 5, 2019, 1-19293.
This scholarly article is a theoretical discussion of the role of freedom and identity on a larger scale, namely on a national level rather than personal. In particular, Topidi argues that through religious regulations’ integration into national politics, authorities are invading the religious freedom of the population, ultimately affecting their social, personal, and cultural identities (1-2). Thus, the impairment in freedom leads to impairments in identity.
This source is a credible set of theoretical evidence that exemplifies the interdependence between freedom and identity in the case of Poland and its Catholic Church. This article will contribute to other sources’ evidence on religious freedom and its ultimate effect on human identity. Moreover, it will be used as additional proof of the connection between the two investigated concepts.
Yeste, Carme Garcia, et al. “Muslim Women Wearing the Niqab in Spain: Dialogues around Discrimination, Identity and Freedom.” International Journal of Intercultural Relations, vol. 75, 2020, 95-105.
This scholarly journal article is a communicative approach study that investigated the influence of religious prejudice on the freedom and identity of Muslim women. The life stories of ten women were collected to interpret how their wearing of niqab influenced their lives. The study results indicated that the participants were exposed to personal attacks, discrimination, prejudice, and street harassment (Yeste et al. 103). Scholars argue that religious discrimination leads to individuals’ deprivation of a significant part of their identity, ultimately limiting their freedom. This source contributes credible evidence to the discussion of the relationship between the lack of freedom and impaired self-identification. It will be used as supporting material for the argument in the study.
The article is reliable since it is an academic research study conducted and interpreted using conventional methods. The validation of the connection between freedom and religious identity seems compelling in light of modern-world intercultural tensions. Therefore, the article will be integrated into the research by synthesizing Yeste et al.’s arguments with other sources’ implications (102-103). It helps in providing specific examples of the implied lack of freedom in contemporary societies and adds a feminist aspect to the discussion of the multifaceted issue of identity and freedom.
Works Cited
Adichie, Chimamanda. “The Danger of a Single Story.” TED, 2009.
Doherty, John F. “Freedom and Identity.” Journal of the Witherspoon Institute, 2021.
Thalos, Mariam. “More than False Choices and Options, the Highest Freedom Lies in Being True to Oneself and Defying the Expectations of Others.” Aeon, 2019.
Topidi, Kyriaki. “Religious Freedom, National Identity, and the Polish Catholic Church: Converging Visions of Nation and God.” Religions, vol. 10, no. 5, 2019, 1-19293.
Yeste, Carme Garcia, et al. “Muslim Women Wearing the Niqab in Spain: Dialogues around Discrimination, Identity and Freedom.” International Journal of Intercultural Relations, vol. 75, 2020, 95-105.