Mistaken Identities (The Reith Lectures)
In a year where identity has frequently been at the centre of global discussions, it seems particularly apt that this year's The Reith Lectures was given by Professor Kwame Anthony Appiah.
As someone who has always been fascinated with the way cultures interact and intersect, this lecture series resonates with me on both a personal and professional level. The individual lectures entitled Creed (from London), Country (from Glasgow), Colour (from Accra) and Culture (from New York) draw on an extremely wide range of global issues including, but not limited to, the three Abrahamic religions, gender equality, nationhood/national consciousness, economics, cosmopolitanism, philosophy, cultural/local affiliations, "otherness", The West/The Global South.
During the first lecture, he reiterates - inter alia - the importance of , "... conversation across difference ..." so as to extend our mutual understanding; Appiah does acknowledge, however, the reality (i.e. difficulty thereof) since people are most often entrenched in their individual belief systems. With regards to citizenship per the second lecture, he speaks of "... respect for the local and respect for the global ..." and this reminds me of Taiye Selasi 's TED Talk, Don't Ask me where I am from, ask where I am a local. In the penultimate lecture, he states that "... race is something we make; not something that makes us ..." and in Culture he dissects/interprets the notion of The West and its place in history as well as the here and now on both a local and more global perspective.
Much of the lectures, both by title and content, are relevant for those interested in the interconnectedness amongst people in our ever shrinking global community.