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Identity

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Painting depicting pioneers with covered wagons and oxen travelling through a valley, with mountains, a river, and people on horseback in the background.

Identity

idea

I rebuilt my self-esteem by changing the story of who I am

I once clung to a dubious family legend to help me cope with a difficult childhood. I’ve since found a better story to tell

by Patricia Olsen

A plane docked at Bologna Airport at sunset with the terminal and control tower in the background.

Communication and language

idea

Speaking a different language can change how you act and feel

For many multilinguals, switching between tongues can lead to shifts in personality, revealing the malleability of the self

by Antonella Gismundi

Three wounded soldiers with bandaged heads and hands inside a military vehicle during the First World War. Another soldier with a helmet sits in the background.

The self

idea

What does it take for someone to become a ‘different person’?

What does it really mean when you say of an individual that they are so transformed as to be a ‘different person’?

by John Schwenkler

Older woman sitting on beach chair; older man lying on a towel with head on a ball; colourful umbrellas and buildings in the background.

Sex and sexuality

idea

Human bodies change through life. So does our sexuality

Sexual identity is more than sexual orientation. It develops and changes as our bodies develop and change through our lives

by Jana Byars

Five men smile on a wooden walkway between rustic homes built over water, with washing lines in the background. Two of the men hug in the centre.

Sex and sexuality

idea

The new genomics of sexuality moves us beyond ‘born this way’

The new genomics of sexuality reflects a social and political reality that has moved beyond ‘born this way’ and the ‘gay gene’

by Joanna Wuest

Painting depicting various racial mixtures in colonial Mexico, with different family groups labelled by their racial classifications.

Identity

idea

Why Spanish colonial officials feared the power of clothing

Colonial society depends on a clear distinction between the rulers and the ruled. Clothing could create problems

by Rebecca Earle

Photo of a street with a person entering a doorway to the left and a bookshop named Armchair Books displaying books in its windows.

Place

idea

‘Place authenticity’ is an important, overlooked part of life

From indie bookshops to artisan cafes, spending time in unique, characterful places can enrich your own sense of self

by Ashley Krause

Two men near a graffiti-covered wall with chipped paint, one standing and gesturing, the other sitting on the pavement.

Cultural diversity

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Cultural differences are far more nuanced than East vs West

It’s simply not the case that ‘Eastern’ cultures are relationally-minded, while ‘Western’ societies are individualistic

by Matt Huston

Photo of a yellow shirt on a hanger in soft sunlight with shadows on a dark cupboard door and a radiator in the background behind a sheer curtain. A person is holding the cupboard door open; their left arm is shown along with the sleeve of their striped t-shirt.

Work and vocation

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Six ways to use clothes to boost your confidence at work

Regardless of your budget or fashion sense, dressing with more intention can benefit your mindset and performance

by Dahlia Stroud

Silhouette of a person using a phone, leaning on a railing under trees with a building in the background.

Mental health

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How a feeling that you belong could protect your mental health

Research on young adults at a time of social transition highlights the significance of feeling that you belong to a group

by Janine M Dutcher & Amber Quinn

A display of various hats, including a red floral hat, a black hat with a coloured brim, a blue hat, and a beige lacy hat, shown on stand in a shop window. A blurred street with a bicycle is visible outside.

Identity

idea

You have multiple ‘social identities’ – here’s how to manage them

As social beings, our identities are bound up with different groups – here’s how to juggle all the various hats you wear

by Anna K Zinn

Surreal painting of a side profile with various images including a daffodil, buildings, people, a mug, and a fish.

Psychosis and schizophrenia

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People with psychosis can heal by rebuilding their life stories

The narrative identities of people with schizophrenia reveal its profound disruption – but also the potential for growth

by Henry R Cowan