{"id":1690,"date":"2025-10-02T18:12:24","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T15:12:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inthrace.unitbv.ro\/?post_type=lesson&#038;p=1690"},"modified":"2026-05-29T05:42:23","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T02:42:23","slug":"lesson-3-collective-identity-definitions-and-dimensions","status":"publish","type":"lesson","link":"https:\/\/inthrace.unitbv.ro\/index.php\/lesson\/lesson-3-collective-identity-definitions-and-dimensions\/","title":{"rendered":"Lesson 2. Collective Identity and ICH"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">LESSON 2. COLLECTIVE IDENTITY AND ICH \u2014 CASE STUDIES: SZ\u00c9KLER IDENTITY &amp; JUNII BRA\u0218OVULUI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When people practise traditions together \u2014 a dance, a feast, a ritual \u2014 they are not just doing something. They are also saying, &#8220;This is who we are.&#8221; This shared sense of belonging is called collective identity. Unlike individual identity, which is about who I am as a person, collective identity is about the &#8220;we&#8221;. It is sustained through shared practices, values and symbols. Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is one of the strongest ways communities keep this &#8220;we&#8221; alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2.1 How collective identity is formed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the Handbook, there are some key aspects:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recognition: a community sees itself as a group, bound by certain practices.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Transmission: rituals, songs or crafts link generations, ensuring continuity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Multilayered belonging: one person can belong to a village, a region, a nation, and Europe at the same time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dynamic: identity is not fixed. It changes with history, politics and culture.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Think of yourself: you may feel at the same time connected to your family, your town, your country, and even to Europe. Traditions often help you navigate these layers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2.2 ICH as product and vehicle of identity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Heritage is not just a reflection of identity \u2014 it also helps build it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>As a product, communities choose which practices to keep alive (for example, reviving old festivals).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As a vehicle, traditions express belonging and reinforce unity (for example, national anthems or community parades).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">CASE STUDY 1 \u2014 Sz\u00e9kler Identity: Between Conflict and Cohabitation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Sz\u00e9kler community in Transylvania shows how ICH can protect a minority identity. Practices: pilgrimages like \u0218umuleu Ciuc, distinct costumes, oral traditions, and craftsmanship. Institutions: the Sz\u00e9kler National Museum documents and promotes their heritage. Challenges: assimilation pressures, demographic decline, and lack of recognition in official statistics. Despite these difficulties, ICH helps Sz\u00e9kler people maintain cohesion and resilience. Every pilgrimage, every costume worn in ceremonies says: &#8220;We are still here.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u25b6&nbsp;&nbsp;VIDEO TO EMBED \u2014 Ch. 9 \u2014 Szekely Identity: Living Heritage in Transylvania<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chapter reference: Chapter 1 &amp; Chapter 9<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Role in lesson: Overview video on Sz\u00e9kler identity as living heritage.<br>&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u25b6&nbsp;&nbsp;VIDEO TO EMBED \u2014 Interview Mih\u00e1ly Vargha \u2014 Sz\u00e9kely identity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chapter reference: Chapter 1<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Role in lesson: First-person testimony on identity formation and self-recognition.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Embed URL: [paste the YouTube URL from the INTHRACE YouTube channel]<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Use WordPress\/Sensei \u2192 Video block at this point.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u25b6&nbsp;&nbsp;VIDEO TO EMBED \u2014 Interview M. Vargha \u2014 Preserving Regional Identity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chapter reference: Chapter 1 &amp; Chapter 6<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Role in lesson: How regional ICH is safeguarded across generations.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u25b6&nbsp;&nbsp;VIDEO TO EMBED \u2014 Interview Mih\u00e1ly Vargha \u2014 Youth Engagement<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chapter reference: Chapter 9<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Role in lesson: Transmission of Sz\u00e9kler ICH to younger generations.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Embed URL: [paste the YouTube URL from the INTHRACE YouTube channel]<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Use WordPress\/Sensei \u2192 Video block at this point.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Pause and think: do you know a minority group in your region? How do its traditions help it survive in a larger national context?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">CASE STUDY 2 \u2014 Junii Bra\u0219ovului: A Spring Feast of Identity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each spring in the \u0218chei district of Bra\u0219ov, groups of juni (young men) ride horses, wear traditional costumes and parade through the city. This centuries-old celebration is called the Parade of Junii Bra\u0219ovului. Practices: the parade, games, dances and festive rituals. Symbolism: continuity with medieval roles of community defence. Functions: strengthens solidarity in the local community, but also projects Romanian identity on a national level. Here, ICH is not about minority distinctiveness but about affirming continuity and national pride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u25b6&nbsp;&nbsp;VIDEO TO EMBED \u2014 Chapter 1 \u2014 The Junii of Bra\u0219ov: A Living Heritage on Horseback<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chapter reference: Chapter 1<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Role in lesson: Core case-study video introducing the Junii ritual.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Embed URL: [paste the YouTube URL from the INTHRACE YouTube channel]<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Use WordPress\/Sensei \u2192 Video block at this point.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u25b6&nbsp;&nbsp;VIDEO TO EMBED \u2014 Ch. 1 &amp; Ch. 6 \u2014 Junii Parade: A Tradition Shared with the Community<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chapter reference: Chapter 1 &amp; Chapter 6<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Role in lesson: Shows community participation and intergenerational transmission.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Embed URL: [paste the YouTube URL from the INTHRACE YouTube channel]<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Use WordPress\/Sensei \u2192 Video block at this point.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u25b6&nbsp;&nbsp;VIDEO TO EMBED \u2014 Junii Bra\u0219ovului and the Romanian Identity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chapter reference: Chapter 1<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Role in lesson: Frames the Junii as an expression of Romanian collective identity.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Embed URL: [paste the YouTube URL from the INTHRACE YouTube channel]<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Use WordPress\/Sensei \u2192 Video block at this point.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Pause and think: what role does costume play in the Junii feast? What does the horse symbolise? How does this ritual connect past and present?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A comparative look: Sz\u00e9kler vs. Junii<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Putting the two cases side by side helps us see how ICH works differently. Sz\u00e9kler traditions \u2192 protect a minority identity, ensuring survival in the face of assimilation. Junii Bra\u0219ovului \u2192 celebrate majority identity, reinforcing community belonging and national continuity. Both cases show that heritage can either mark difference or strengthen unity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Activities (Try it yourself)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Activities (drawn from INTHRACE Pedagogical Model \u2014 Components 01 Identification, 02 Community Involvement, 03 Interpretation &amp; Promotion)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Comparative Table \u2014 Sz\u00e9kler vs. Junii (individual or pairs).&nbsp;<\/strong>Make a table with the two cases. Compare community profile, key ICH practices, identity function (minority protection vs. majority cohesion), institutional support and main challenges.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Heritage Identity Map (individual).&nbsp;<\/strong>Choose one tradition from your own community. Create a diagram showing how it contributes to local, regional, national and European identity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Group debate (INTHRACE Component 03).&nbsp;<\/strong>Motion: &#8220;ICH for protecting minority distinctiveness is more important than ICH for reinforcing majority cohesion.&#8221; Use Sz\u00e9kler and Junii as your main evidence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Community interview (INTHRACE Component 02 \u2014 optional fieldwork).&nbsp;<\/strong>Interview a tradition bearer from your community (relative, neighbour, teacher) and produce a 5-minute audio\/video clip in the spirit of the Vargha interview series. Submit with a short transcript.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reflection questions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How do rituals and traditions create a sense of &#8220;we&#8221;?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can the same tradition unite some people but exclude others?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What happens if heritage becomes politicised?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Which case \u2014 Sz\u00e9kler or Junii \u2014 seems more resilient in today&#8217;s globalised world? Why?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How can a minority community maintain its identity without official administrative recognition?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_angie_page":false,"_initial_content":"","_new_post":false,"_quiz_has_questions":false,"_lesson_complexity":"easy","_lesson_length":10,"_lesson_course":1307,"_lesson_preview":""},"lesson-tag":[],"class_list":["post-1690","lesson","type-lesson","status-publish","hentry","module-overview-and-understanding-of-intangible-cultural-heritage","post"],"lang":"en","translations":{"en":1690},"is_coteacher":false,"pll_sync_post":{},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inthrace.unitbv.ro\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lessons\/1690","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inthrace.unitbv.ro\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lessons"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inthrace.unitbv.ro\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/lesson"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inthrace.unitbv.ro\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1690"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/inthrace.unitbv.ro\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lessons\/1690\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5762,"href":"https:\/\/inthrace.unitbv.ro\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lessons\/1690\/revisions\/5762"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inthrace.unitbv.ro\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1690"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"lesson-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inthrace.unitbv.ro\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lesson-tag?post=1690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}