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106 Cultural Identity Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Cultural identity is a concept that refers to the sense of belonging and identification individuals have with a particular culture or ethnic group. It plays a significant role in shaping one's values, beliefs, traditions, and behaviors. Writing an essay on cultural identity allows individuals to explore and understand their own cultural backgrounds, as well as those of others. To help you get started, here are 106 cultural identity essay topic ideas and examples:

  • Exploring the concept of cultural identity.
  • How does cultural identity impact an individual's perspective on the world?
  • The role of language in cultural identity.
  • The influence of cultural identity on personal relationships.
  • The impact of globalization on cultural identity.
  • The challenges faced by individuals with a multicultural background.
  • How cultural identity shapes one's perception of beauty.
  • The connection between cultural identity and self-esteem.
  • The portrayal of cultural identity in literature and art.
  • The impact of cultural identity on educational achievements.
  • How cultural identity affects one's career choices.
  • The role of cultural identity in shaping political opinions.
  • The influence of cultural identity on religious beliefs and practices.
  • The impact of cultural identity on gender roles and expectations.
  • The challenges of maintaining cultural identity in a foreign country.
  • The role of cultural identity in shaping fashion trends.
  • The impact of cultural identity on food and cuisine.
  • The connection between cultural identity and music preferences.
  • The role of cultural identity in shaping sports and athleticism.
  • The influence of cultural identity on parenting styles and values.
  • How cultural identity affects attitudes towards health and wellness.
  • The impact of cultural identity on social media usage.
  • The role of cultural identity in shaping travel preferences.
  • The connection between cultural identity and environmental attitudes.
  • The influence of cultural identity on communication styles.
  • How cultural identity affects attitudes towards technology.
  • The impact of cultural identity on social justice and activism.
  • The role of cultural identity in shaping concepts of time and punctuality.
  • The connection between cultural identity and storytelling traditions.
  • The influence of cultural identity on celebrations and holidays.
  • How cultural identity affects attitudes towards marriage and family.
  • The impact of cultural identity on body image and beauty standards.
  • The role of cultural identity in shaping leadership styles.
  • The connection between cultural identity and historical narratives.
  • The influence of cultural identity on funeral and mourning practices.
  • How cultural identity affects attitudes towards disability and inclusion.
  • The impact of cultural identity on concepts of privacy and personal space.
  • The role of cultural identity in shaping attitudes towards immigration.
  • The connection between cultural identity and social class.
  • The influence of cultural identity on leisure and recreational activities.
  • How cultural identity affects attitudes towards mental health and therapy.
  • The impact of cultural identity on perceptions of justice and fairness.
  • The role of cultural identity in shaping concepts of beauty and attractiveness.
  • The connection between cultural identity and social media activism.
  • The influence of cultural identity on attitudes towards climate change.
  • How cultural identity affects attitudes towards animal rights and conservation.
  • The impact of cultural identity on perceptions of technology and innovation.
  • The role of cultural identity in shaping attitudes towards entrepreneurship.
  • The connection between cultural identity and political engagement.
  • The influence of cultural identity on attitudes towards globalization.
  • How cultural identity affects attitudes towards multiculturalism and diversity.
  • The impact of cultural identity on perceptions of patriotism and national identity.
  • The role of cultural identity in shaping attitudes towards immigration policy.
  • The connection between cultural identity and attitudes towards cultural appropriation.
  • The influence of cultural identity on attitudes towards cultural preservation.
  • How cultural identity affects attitudes towards cultural assimilation.
  • The impact of cultural identity on perceptions of cultural imperialism.
  • The role of cultural identity in shaping attitudes towards cultural exchange.
  • The connection between cultural identity and attitudes towards cultural relativism.
  • The influence of cultural identity on attitudes towards cultural heritage.
  • How cultural identity affects attitudes towards cultural diplomacy.
  • The impact of cultural identity on perceptions of cultural authenticity.
  • The role of cultural identity in shaping attitudes towards cultural tourism.
  • The connection between cultural identity and attitudes towards cultural genocide.
  • The influence of cultural identity on attitudes towards cultural nationalism.
  • How cultural identity affects attitudes towards cultural diversity.
  • The impact of cultural identity on perceptions of cultural appropriation in fashion.
  • The role of cultural identity in shaping attitudes towards cultural preservation in architecture.
  • The connection between cultural identity and attitudes towards cultural exchange in music.
  • The influence of cultural identity on attitudes towards cultural assimilation in literature.
  • How cultural identity affects attitudes towards cultural imperialism in media.
  • The impact of cultural identity on perceptions of cultural authenticity in food.
  • The role of cultural identity in shaping attitudes towards cultural heritage in museums.
  • The connection between cultural identity and attitudes towards cultural relativism in philosophy.
  • The influence of cultural identity on attitudes towards cultural diplomacy in politics.
  • How cultural identity affects attitudes towards cultural diversity in education.
  • The impact of cultural identity on perceptions of cultural appropriation in art.
  • The role of cultural identity in shaping attitudes towards cultural preservation in language.
  • The connection between cultural identity and attitudes towards cultural exchange in dance.
  • The influence of cultural identity on attitudes towards cultural assimilation in film.
  • How cultural identity affects attitudes towards cultural imperialism in literature.
  • The impact of cultural identity on perceptions of cultural authenticity in fashion.
  • The role of cultural identity in shaping attitudes towards cultural heritage in music.
  • The connection between cultural identity and attitudes towards cultural relativism in history.
  • The influence of cultural identity on attitudes towards cultural diplomacy in sports.
  • How cultural identity affects attitudes towards cultural diversity in the workplace.
  • The impact of cultural identity on perceptions of cultural appropriation in music.
  • The role of cultural identity in shaping attitudes towards cultural preservation in theater.
  • The connection between cultural identity and attitudes towards cultural exchange in visual arts.
  • The influence of cultural identity on attitudes towards cultural assimilation in cuisine.
  • How cultural identity affects attitudes towards cultural imperialism in architecture.
  • The impact of cultural identity on perceptions of cultural authenticity in literature.
  • The role of cultural identity in shaping attitudes towards cultural heritage in film.
  • The connection between cultural identity and attitudes towards cultural relativism in music.
  • The influence of cultural identity on attitudes towards cultural diplomacy in fashion.
  • How cultural identity affects attitudes towards cultural diversity in media.
  • The impact of cultural identity on perceptions of cultural appropriation in theater.
  • The role of cultural identity in shaping attitudes towards cultural preservation in film.
  • The connection between cultural identity and attitudes towards cultural exchange in literature.
  • The influence of cultural identity on attitudes towards cultural assimilation in visual arts.
  • How cultural identity affects attitudes towards cultural imperialism in music.
  • The impact of cultural identity on perceptions of cultural authenticity in theater.
  • The role of cultural identity in shaping attitudes towards cultural heritage in dance.
  • The connection between cultural identity and attitudes towards cultural relativism in fashion.
  • The influence of cultural identity on attitudes towards cultural diplomacy in literature.
  • How cultural identity affects attitudes towards cultural diversity in politics.

These cultural identity essay topic ideas and examples offer a wide range of options for exploring the intricate aspects of cultural identity. Remember to choose a topic that resonates with your personal experiences, interests, and perspectives. Good luck with your essay!

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Cultural Identity Essay

27 August, 2020

12 minutes read

Author:  Elizabeth Brown

No matter where you study, composing essays of any type and complexity is a critical component in any studying program. Most likely, you have already been assigned the task to write a cultural identity essay, which is an essay that has to do a lot with your personality and cultural background. In essence, writing a cultural identity essay is fundamental for providing the reader with an understanding of who you are and which outlook you have. This may include the topics of religion, traditions, ethnicity, race, and so on. So, what shall you do to compose a winning cultural identity essay?

Cultural Identity

Cultural Identity Paper: Definitions, Goals & Topics 

cultural identity essay example

Before starting off with a cultural identity essay, it is fundamental to uncover what is particular about this type of paper. First and foremost, it will be rather logical to begin with giving a general and straightforward definition of a cultural identity essay. In essence, cultural identity essay implies outlining the role of the culture in defining your outlook, shaping your personality, points of view regarding a multitude of matters, and forming your qualities and beliefs. Given a simpler definition, a cultural identity essay requires you to write about how culture has influenced your personality and yourself in general. So in this kind of essay you as a narrator need to give an understanding of who you are, which strengths you have, and what your solid life position is.

Yet, the goal of a cultural identity essay is not strictly limited to describing who you are and merely outlining your biography. Instead, this type of essay pursues specific objectives, achieving which is a perfect indicator of how high-quality your essay is. Initially, the primary goal implies outlining your cultural focus and why it makes you peculiar. For instance, if you are a french adolescent living in Canada, you may describe what is so special about it: traditions of the community, beliefs, opinions, approaches. Basically, you may talk about the principles of the society as well as its beliefs that made you become the person you are today.

So far, cultural identity is a rather broad topic, so you will likely have a multitude of fascinating ideas for your paper. For instance, some of the most attention-grabbing topics for a personal cultural identity essay are:

  • Memorable traditions of your community
  • A cultural event that has influenced your personality 
  • Influential people in your community
  • Locations and places that tell a lot about your culture and identity

Cultural Identity Essay Structure

As you might have already guessed, composing an essay on cultural identity might turn out to be fascinating but somewhat challenging. Even though the spectrum of topics is rather broad, the question of how to create the most appropriate and appealing structure remains open.

Like any other kind of an academic essay, a cultural identity essay must compose of three parts: introduction, body, and concluding remarks. Let’s take a more detailed look at each of the components:

Introduction 

Starting to write an essay is most likely one of the most time-consuming and mind-challenging procedures. Therefore, you can postpone writing your introduction and approach it right after you finish body paragraphs. Nevertheless, you should think of a suitable topic as well as come up with an explicit thesis. At the beginning of the introduction section, give some hints regarding the matter you are going to discuss. You have to mention your thesis statement after you have briefly guided the reader through the topic. You can also think of indicating some vital information about yourself, which is, of course, relevant to the topic you selected.

Your main body should reveal your ideas and arguments. Most likely, it will consist of 3-5 paragraphs that are more or less equal in size. What you have to keep in mind to compose a sound ‘my cultural identity essay’ is the argumentation. In particular, always remember to reveal an argument and back it up with evidence in each body paragraph. And, of course, try to stick to the topic and make sure that you answer the overall question that you stated in your topic. Besides, always keep your thesis statement in mind: make sure that none of its components is left without your attention and argumentation.

Conclusion 

Finally, after you are all finished with body paragraphs and introduction, briefly summarize all the points in your final remarks section. Paraphrase what you have already revealed in the main body, and make sure you logically lead the reader to the overall argument. Indicate your cultural identity once again and draw a bottom line regarding how your culture has influenced your personality.

Best Tips For Writing Cultural Identity Essay

Writing a ‘cultural identity essay about myself’ might be somewhat challenging at first. However, you will no longer struggle if you take a couple of plain tips into consideration. Following the tips below will give you some sound and reasonable cultural identity essay ideas as well as make the writing process much more pleasant:

  • Start off by creating an outline. The reason why most students struggle with creating a cultural identity essay lies behind a weak structure. The best way to organize your ideas and let them flow logically is to come up with a helpful outline. Having a reference to build on is incredibly useful, and it allows your essay to look polished.
  • Remember to write about yourself. The task of a cultural identity essay implies not focusing on your culture per se, but to talk about how it shaped your personality. So, switch your focus to describing who you are and what your attitudes and positions are. 
  • Think of the most fundamental cultural aspects. Needless to say, you first need to come up with a couple of ideas to be based upon in your paper. So, brainstorm all the possible ideas and try to decide which of them deserve the most attention. In essence, try to determine which of the aspects affected your personality the most.
  • Edit and proofread before submitting your paper. Of course, the content and the coherence of your essay’s structure play a crucial role. But the grammatical correctness matters a lot too. Even if you are a native speaker, you may still make accidental errors in the text. To avoid the situation when unintentional mistakes spoil the impression from your essay, always double check your cultural identity essay. 

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Essays about Culture and Identity: 9 Examples And Prompts

Writing essays about culture and identity will help you explore your understanding of it. Here are examples that will give you inspiration for your next essay.

Culture can refer to customs, traditions, beliefs, lifestyles, laws, artistic expressions, and other elements that cultivate the collective identity. Different cultures are established across nations, regions, communities, and social groups. They are passed on from generation to generation while others evolve or are abolished to give way to modern beliefs and systems.

While our cultural identity begins at home, it changes as we involve ourselves with other groups (friends, educational institutions, social media communities, political groups, etc.) Culture is a very relatable subject as every person is part of a culture or at least can identify with one. Because it spans broad coverage, there are several interesting cultural subjects to write about.

Our culture and identity are dynamic. This is why you may find it challenging to write about it. To spark your inspiration, check out our picks of the best culture essays. 

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1. Sweetness and Light by Matthew Arnolds

2. how auto-tune revolutionized the sound of popular music by simon reynolds, 3. how immigration changes language by john mcwhorter, 4. the comfort zone: growing up with charlie brown by jonathan franzen, 5. culture and identity definition by sandra graham, 6. how culture and surroundings influence identity by jeanette lucas, 7. how the food we eat reflects our culture and identity by sophia stephens, 8. identity and culture: my identity, culture, and identity by april casas, 9. how america hinders the cultural identity of their own citizens by seth luna, 1. answer the question, “who am i”, 2. causes of culture shock, 3. your thoughts on dystopia and utopia, 4. gender inequality from a global perspective, 5. the most interesting things you learned from other cultures, 6. the relationship between cultural identity and clothes, 7. describe your culture, 8. what is the importance of honoring your roots , 9. how can a person adapt to a new culture, 10. what artistic works best express your country’s culture, 11. how has social media influenced human interaction, 12. how do you protect the cultures of indigenous peoples, 13. are k-pop and k-drama sensations effectively promoting korea’s culture , 14. what is the importance of cultural diversity.

“… [A]nd when every man may say what he likes, our aspirations ought to be satisfied. But the aspirations of culture, which is the study of perfection, are not satisfied, unless what men say, when they may say what they like, is worth saying,—has good in it, and more good than bad.”

Arnolds compels a re-examination of values at a time when England is leading global industrialization and beginning to believe that greatness is founded on material progress. 

The author elaborates why culture, the strive for a standard of perfection, is not merely driven by scientific passions and, more so, by materialistic affluence. As he esteems religion as “that voice of the deepest human experience” to harmonize men in establishing that ideal society, Arnolds stresses that culture is the effort to “make reason and the will of God prevail” while humanizing gained knowledge to be society’s source of “sweetness and light.”

“Few innovations in sound production have been simultaneously so reviled and so revolutionary. Epoch-defining or epoch-defacing, Auto-Tune is indisputably the sound of the 21st century so far.”

Reynolds shows how Auto-Tune has shaped a pop music genre that has cut across cultures. The article maps out the music landscape Auto-Tune created and examines its impact on the culture of song productions and the modern taste for music. While the author debunks accusations that Auto-Tune destroyed the “natural” process of creating music, he also points out that the technology earned its reverence with big thanks to society’s current custom of using technology to hide blemishes and other imperfections.

Looking for more? Check out these essays about culture shock .

“… [T]he heavy immigration that countries like Italy are experiencing will almost certainly birth new kinds of Italian that are rich with slang, somewhat less elaborate than the standard, and
 widely considered signs of linguistic deterioration, heralding a future where the “original” standard language no longer exists.”

American linguist McWhorter pacifies fears over the death of “standard” languages amid the wave of immigration to Europe. On the contrary, language is a vital expression of a culture, and for some, preserving is tantamount to upholding a cultural standard. 

However, instead of seeing the rise of new “multiethnolects” such as the Black English in America and Kiezdeutsch in Germany as threats to language and culture, McWhorter sees them as a new way to communicate and better understand the social groups that forayed these new languages.

“I wonder why “cartoonish” remains such a pejorative. It took me half my life to achieve seeing my parents as cartoons. And to become more perfectly a cartoon myself: what a victory that would be.”

This essay begins with a huge fight between Franzen’s brother and father to show how the cultural generation gap sweeping the 60s has hit closer to home. This generation gap, where young adults were rejecting the elders’ old ways in pursuit of a new and better culture, will also be the reason why his family ends up drifting apart. Throughout the essay, Franzen treads this difficult phase in his youth while narrating fondly how Peanuts, a pop culture icon at the time, was his source of escape. 

“…Culture is
 your background
 and Identity is formed where you belong to… Leopold Sedar Senghor and Shirley Geok-Lin Lim both talks about how culture and identity can impact… society…”

In this essay, Graham uses “To New York” by Senghor and “Learning To Love America” by Lim as two pieces of literature that effectively describe the role of culture and identity to traveling individuals. 

The author refers to Sengho’s reminder that people can adapt but must not forget their culture even if they go to a different place or country. On the other hand, Lim discusses immigrants’ struggle to have double identities.

“Culture is something that surrounds all of us and progress to shape our lives every day
 Identity is illustrated as the state of mind in which someone or something distinguishes their own character traits that lead to determining who they really are, what they represent.”

Lucas is keen on giving examples of how his culture and surroundings influence an individual’s identity. She refers to Kothari’s “If you are what you eat, then what am I?” which discusses Kothari’s search for her identity depending on what food she eats. Food defines a person’s culture and identity, so Kothari believes that eating food from different countries will change his identity.

Lucas also refers to “Down These Mean Streets” by Piri Thomas, which argues how different cultural and environmental factors affect us. Because of what we encounter, there is a possibility that we will become someone who we are not. 

“What we grow is who we are. What we buy is who we are. What we eat is who we are.”

Stephens’ essay teaches its readers that the food we grow and eat defines us as a person. She explains that growing a crop and harvesting it takes a lot of effort, dedication, and patience, which mirrors our identity. 

Another metaphor she used is planting rice: it takes skills and knowledge to make it grow. Cooking rice is more accessible than cultivating it – you can quickly cook rice by boiling it in water. This reflects people rich in culture and tradition but who lives simpler life. 

“Every single one has their own unique identity and culture. Culture plays a big role in shaping your identity. Culture is what made me the person I am today and determines who or what I choose to associate myself with.”

Casas starts her piece by questioning who she is. In trying to learn and define who she is, she writes down and describes herself and her personality throughout the essay. Finally, she concludes that her culture is a big part of her identity, and she must understand it to understand herself.

“When it comes to these stereotypes we place on each other, a lot of the time, we succumb to the stereotypes given to us. And our cultural identity is shaped by these expectations and labels others give us. That is why negative stereotypes sometimes become true for a whole group or community.”

In this essay, Luna talks about how negative stereotyping in the United States led to moral distortion. For example, Americans are assumed to be ignorant of other countries’ cultures, making it difficult to understand other people’s cultures and lifestyles. 

She believes that stereotyping can significantly affect an individual or group’s identity. She suggests Americans should improve their intellectual competence by being sensitive to other people’s cultures.

14 Prompts on Essays about Culture and Identity

You can discuss many things on the subject of culture and identity. To give you a starting point, here are some prompts to help you write an exciting essay about culture. 

If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips and our round-up of the best essay checkers .

Understanding your personality is vital since continuous interaction with others can affect your personality. Write about your culture and identity; what is your personality? How do you define yourself? Everyone is unique, so by writing an essay about who you are, you’ll be able to understand why you act a certain way and connect with readers who have the same values. 

Here’s a guide on writing a descriptive essay to effectively relay your experience to your readers.

Sometimes, people need to get out of their comfort zone and interact with other individuals with different cultures, beliefs, or traditions. This is to broaden one’s perspective about the world. Aside from discussing what you’ve learned in that journey, you can also focus on the bits that shocked you. 

You can talk about a tradition or value that you found so bizarre because it differs from your culture. Then add how you processed it and finally adapted to it.

Essays about Culture and Identity: Your Thoughts on Dystopia and Utopia

Dystopia and Utopia are both imagined worlds. Dystopia is a world where people live in the worst or most unfavorable conditions, while Utopia is the opposite. 

You can write an essay about what you think a Dystopian or Utopian world may look like, how these societies will affect their citizens, etc. Then, consider what personality citizens of each world may have to depend on the two worlds’ cultures.

Today, more and more people are fighting for others to accept or at least respect the LGBTQ+ community. However, countries, territories, and religions still question their rights.

In your essay, you can talk about why these institutions react the way they do and how culture dictates someone’s identity in the wrong way. Before creating your own, feel free to read other essays and articles to learn more about the global gender inequality issue. 

The world has diverse cultures, traditions, and values. When you travel to a new place, learning and writing about your firsthand experiences with unique cultures and rituals will always be an interesting read.

In this prompt, you’ll research other cultures and how they shaped their group’s identity. Then, write about the most exciting aspects you’ve learned, why you found them fascinating, and how they differ from your culture.

Those proud of their culture will wear clothes inspired by them. Some wear the same clothes even if they aren’t from the same culture. The debate over cultural appropriation and culture appreciation is still a hot topic. 

In this essay, you may start with the traditions of your community or observances your family celebrates and gathers for. Then, elaborate on their origins and describe how your community or family is preserving these practices. 

Learning about your roots, ancestors, and family cultures can help strengthen your understanding of your identity and foster respect for other cultures. Explore this topic and offer examples of what others have learned. Has the journey always been a positive experience? Delve into this question for an engaging and interesting essay.

When a person moves country, it can be challenging to adapt to a new culture. If there are new people at work or school, you can interview them and ask how they are coping with their new environment. How different is this from what they have been used to, and what unique traditions do they find interesting?

Focus on an art piece that is a source of pride and identity to your country’s culture, much like the Tinikling of the Philippines or the Matryoshka dolls of Russia. Explore its origins and evolution up to its current manifestation and highlight efforts that are striving to protect and promote these artistic works.

The older generation did not have computers in their teen years. Ask about how they dated in their younger years and how they made friends. Contrast how the younger generation is building their social networks today. Write what culture of socialization works better for you and explain why.

Take in-depth navigation of existing policies that protect indigenous peoples. Are they sufficient to serve these communities needs, and are they being implemented effectively? There is also the challenge of balancing the protection of these traditions against the need to protect the environment, as some indigenous practices add to the carbon footprint. How is your government dealing with this challenge?

A large population is now riding the Hallyu or the Korean pop culture, with many falling in love with the artists and Korea’s food, language, and traditional events. Research how certain Korean films, TV series, or music have effectively attracted fans to experience Korea’s culture. Write about what countries can learn from Korea in promoting their own cultures.

Environments that embrace cultural diversity are productive and innovative. To start your essay, assess how diverse your workplace or school is. Then, write your personal experiences where working with co-workers or classmates from different cultures led to new and innovative ideas and projects. Combine this with the personal experiences of your boss or the principal to see how your environment benefits from hosting a melting pot of cultures.

If you aim for your article to effectively change readers’ perspectives and align with your opinion, read our guide to achieving persuasive writing . 

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essay titles about cultural identity

6 Diversity College Essay Examples

What’s covered:, how to write the diversity essay after the end of affirmative action, essay #1: jewish identity, essay #2: being bangladeshi-american, essay #3: marvel vs dc, essay #4: leadership as a first-gen american, essay #5: protecting the earth, essay #6: music and accents, where to get your diversity essays edited, what is the diversity essay.

While working on your college applications, you may come across essays that focus on diversity , culture, or values. The purpose of these essays is to highlight any diverse views or opinions that you may bring to campus. Colleges want a diverse student body that’s made up of different backgrounds, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and interests. These essay prompts are a way for them to see what students can bring to their school.

In this post, we will share six essays written by real students that cover the topic of culture and diversity. We’ll also include what each essay did well and where there is room for improvement. Hopefully, this will be a useful resource to inspire your own diversity essay.

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. That said, you should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and they will not have a favorable view of students who have plagiarized.

In June 2023, the Supreme Court ruled that the use of race in college admissions was unconstitutional. In other words, they struck down the use of affirmative action in college admissions . This will affect college-bound students of color in a number of ways, including lowering their chances of acceptance and reducing the amount of direct outreach they’ll receive from colleges. Another change to consider is the ways in which students should tackle their diversity essays.

Although colleges can no longer directly factor race into admissions, students aren’t prohibited from discussing their racial backgrounds in supplemental application essays. If your racial background is important to you, seriously consider writing about it in your diversity essays. If you don’t, admissions officers are extremely limited in their ability to consider your race when making an admission decision.

As in the essays listed below, discussing your race is an excellent tool for showing admissions officers the person behind the grades and test scores. Beyond that, it provides admissions officers with an opportunity to put themselves in your shoes—showing them how your background has presented challenges to overcome, helped build important life skills, and taught you valuable lessons.

Diversity Essay Examples

I was thirsty. In my wallet was a lone $10 bill, ultimately useless at my school’s vending machine. Tasked with scrounging together the $1 cost of a water bottle, I fished out and arranged the spare change that normally hid in the bottom of my backpack in neat piles of nickels and dimes on my desk. I swept them into a spare Ziploc and began to leave when a classmate snatched the bag and held it above my head.

“Want your money back, Jew?” she chanted, waving the coins around. I had forgotten the Star-of-David around my neck, but quickly realized she must have seen it and connected it to the stacks of coins. I am no stranger to experiencing and confronting antisemitism, but I had never been targeted in my school before. I grabbed my bag and sternly told her to leave. Although she sauntered away, the impact remained.

This incident serves as an example of the adversity I have and will continue to face from those who only see me as a stereotype. Ironically, however, these experiences of discrimination have only increased my pride as a member of the Jewish Community. Continuing to wear the Star-of-David connects me to my history and my family. I find meaning and direction in my community’s values, such as pride, education, and giving—and I am eager to transfer these values to my new community: the Duke community.

What the Essay Did Well

Writing about discrimination can be difficult, but if you are comfortable doing it, it can make for a powerful story. Although this essay is short and focused on one small interaction, it represents a much larger struggle for this student, and for that reason it makes the essay very impactful.

The author takes her time at the beginning of the essay to build the scene for the audience, which allows us to feel like we are there with her, making the hateful comments even more jarring later on. If she had just told us her classmate teased her with harmful stereotypes, we wouldn’t feel the same sense of anger as we do knowing that she was just trying to get a drink and ended up being harassed.

This essay does another important thing—it includes self-reflection on the experience and on the student’s identity. Without elaborating on the emotional impact of a situation, an essay about discrimination would make admission officers feel bad for the student, but they wouldn’t be compelled to admit the student. By describing how experiences like these drive her and make her more determined to embody positive values, this student reveals her character to the readers.

What Could Be Improved

While including emotional reflection in the latter half of the essay is important, the actual sentences could be tightened up a bit to leave a stronger impression. The student does a nice job of showing us her experience with antisemitism, but she just tells us about the impact it has on her. If she instead showed us what the impact looked like, the essay would be even better.

For example, rather than telling us “Continuing to wear the Star-of-David connects me to my history and my family,” she could have shown that connection: “My Star-of-David necklace thumps against my heart with every step I take, reminding me of my great-grandparents who had to hide their stars, my grandma’s spindly fingers lighting the menorah each Hanukkah, and my uncle’s homemade challah bread.” This new sentence reveals so much more than the existing sentence about the student and the deep connection she feels with her family and religion.

Life before was good: verdant forests, sumptuous curries, and a devoted family.

Then, my family abandoned our comfortable life in Bangladesh for a chance at the American dream in Los Angeles. Within our first year, my father was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. He lost his battle three weeks before my sixth birthday. Facing a new country without the steady presence of my father, we were vulnerable—prisoners of hardship in the land of the free.

We resettled in the Bronx, in my uncle’s renovated basement. It was meant to be our refuge, but I felt more displaced than ever. Gone were the high-rise condos of West L.A.; instead, government projects towered over the neighborhood. Pedestrians no longer smiled and greeted me; the atmosphere was hostile, even toxic. Schoolkids were quick to pick on those they saw as weak or foreign, hurling harsh words I’d never heard before.

Meanwhile, my family began integrating into the local Bangladeshi community. I struggled to understand those who shared my heritage. Bangladeshi mothers stayed home while fathers drove cabs and sold fruit by the roadside—painful societal positions. Riding on crosstown buses or walking home from school, I began to internalize these disparities.

During my fleeting encounters with affluent Upper East Siders, I saw kids my age with nannies, parents who wore suits to work, and luxurious apartments with spectacular views. Most took cabs to their destinations: cabs that Bangladeshis drove. I watched the mundane moments of their lives with longing, aching to plant myself in their shoes. Shame prickled down my spine. I distanced myself from my heritage, rejecting the traditional panjabis worn on Eid and refusing the torkari we ate for dinner every day.

As I grappled with my relationship with the Bangladeshi community, I turned my attention to helping my Bronx community by pursuing an internship with Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda. I handled desk work and took calls, spending the bulk of my time actively listening to the hardships constituents faced—everything from a veteran stripped of his benefits to a grandmother unable to support her bedridden grandchild.

I’d never exposed myself to stories like these, and now I was the first to hear them. As an intern, I could only assist in what felt like the small ways—pointing out local job offerings, printing information on free ESL classes, reaching out to non-profits. But to a community facing an onslaught of intense struggles, I realized that something as small as these actions could have vast impacts.

Seeing the immediate consequences of my actions inspired me. Throughout that summer, I internalized my community’s daily challenges in a new light. I began to see the prevalent underemployment and cramped living quarters less as sources of shame. Instead, I saw them as realities that had to be acknowledged, but that could ultimately be remedied.

I also realized the benefits of the Bangladeshi culture I had been so ashamed of. My Bangla language skills were an asset to the office, and my understanding of Bangladeshi etiquette allowed for smooth communication between office staff and the office’s constituents. As I helped my neighbors navigate city services, I saw my heritage with pride—a perspective I never expected to have.

I can now appreciate the value of my unique culture and background, and the value of living with less. This perspective offers room for progress, community integration, and a future worth fighting for. My time with Assemblyman Sepulveda’s office taught me that I can be an agent of change who can enable this progression. Far from being ashamed of my community, I want to someday return to local politics in the Bronx to continue helping others access the American Dream. I hope to help my community appreciate the opportunity to make progress together. By embracing reality, I learned to live it. Along the way, I discovered one thing: life is good, but we can make it better.

This student’s passion for social justice and civic duty shines through in this essay because of how honest it is. Sharing their personal experience with immigrating, moving around, being an outsider, and finding a community allows us to see the hardships this student has faced and builds empathy towards their situation.

However, what really makes it strong is that the student goes beyond describing the difficulties they faced and explains the mental impact it had on them as a child: “Shame prickled down my spine. I distanced myself from my heritage, rejecting the traditional panjabis worn on Eid and refusing the torkari we ate for dinner every day.” The rejection of their culture presented at the beginning of the essay creates a nice juxtaposition with the student’s view in the latter half of the essay, and helps demonstrate how they have matured.

They then use their experience interning as a way to delve into a change in their thought process about their culture. This experience also serves as a way to show how their passion for social justice began. Using this experience as a mechanism to explore their thoughts and feelings is an excellent example of how items that are included elsewhere on your application should be incorporated into your essay.

This essay prioritizes emotions and personal views over specific anecdotes. Although there are details and certain moments incorporated throughout to emphasize the author’s points, the main focus remains on the student and how they grapple with their culture and identity.

One area for improvement is the conclusion. Although the forward-looking approach is a nice way to end an essay focused on social justice, it would be nice to include more details and imagery in the conclusion. How does the student want to help their community? What government position do they see themselves holding one day?

A more impactful ending might describe the student walking into their office at the New York City Housing Authority in 15 years. This future student might be looking at the plans to build a new development in the Bronx just blocks away from where they grew up that would provide quality housing to people in their Bangladeshi community. They would smile while thinking about how far they have come from that young kid who used to be ashamed of their culture.

Superhero cinema is an oligopoly consisting of two prominent, towering brands: Marvel and DC. I’m a religious supporter of Marvel, but last year, I discovered that my friend, Tom, was a DC fan. After a vociferous 20-minute quarrel about which was better, we decided to allocate one day to have a professional debate, using carefully assembled and coherent arguments.

One week later, we both brought pages of notes and evidence cards (I also had my Iron-Man bobblehead for moral support). Our impartial moderator—a Disney fan—sat in the middle with a stopwatch, open-policy style. I began the debate by discussing how Marvel accentuated the humanity of the storyline—such as in Tony Stark’s transformation from an egotistical billionaire to a compassionate father—which drew in a broader audience, because more people resonated with certain aspects of the characters. Tom rebutted this by capitalizing on how Deadpool was a duplicate of Deathstroke, how Vision copied Red Tornado, and how DC sold more comics than Marvel.

40 minutes later, we reached an impasse. We were out of cards, and we both made excellent points, so our moderator was unable to declare a winner. Difficult conversations aren’t necessarily always the ones that make political headlines. Instead, a difficult discussion involves any topic with which people share an emotional connection.

Over the years, I became so emotionally invested in Marvel that my mind erected an impenetrable shield, blocking out all other possibilities. Even today, we haven’t decided which franchise was better, but I realized that I was undermining DC for no reason other than my own ignorance.

The inevitability of diversity suggests that it is our responsibility to understand the other person and what they believe in. We may not always experience a change in opinion, but we can grant ourselves the opportunity to expand our global perspective. I strive to continue this adventure to increase my awareness as a superhero aficionado, activist, and student, by engaging in conversations that require me to think beyond what I believe and to view the world from others’ perspectives.

And yes, Tom is still my friend.

Diversity doesn’t always have to be about culture or heritage; diversity exists all around us, even in our comic book preferences. The cleverness of this essay lies in the way the student flipped the traditional diversity prompt on its head and instead discussed his diverse perspective on a topic he is passionate about. If you don’t have a cultural connection you are compelled to write about, this is a nifty approach to a diversity prompt—if it’s handled appropriately.

While this student has a non-traditional topic, he still presents it in a way that pays respect to the key aspects of a diversity essay: depicting his perspective and recognizing the importance of diverse views. Just as someone who is writing about a culture that is possibly unfamiliar to the reader, the student describes what makes Marvel and DC unique and important to him and his friend, respectively. He also expands on how a lack of diversity in superhero consumption led to his feeling of ignorance, and how it now makes him appreciate the need for diversity in all aspects of his life.

This student is unapologetically himself in this essay, which is ultimately why this unorthodox topic is able to work. He committed to his passion for Marvel by sharing analytical takes on characters and demonstrating how the franchise was so important to his identity that it momentarily threatened a friendship. The inclusion of humor through his personal voice—e.g., referring to the argument as a professional debate and telling us that the friendship lived on—contributes to the essay feeling deeply personal.

Choosing an unconventional topic for a diversity essay requires extra care and attention to ensure that you are still addressing the core of the prompt. That being said, if you accomplish it successfully, it makes for an incredibly memorable essay that could easily set you apart!

While this is a great essay as is, the idea of diversity could have been addressed a little bit earlier in the piece to make it absolutely clear the student is writing about his diverse perspective. He positions Marvel and DC as two behemoths in the superhero movie industry, but in the event that his reader is unfamiliar with these two brands, there is little context about the cultural impact each has on its fans.

To this student, Marvel is more than just a movie franchise; it’s a crucial part of his identity, just as someone’s race or religion might be. In order for the reader to fully understand the weight of his perspective, there should be further elaboration—towards the beginning—on how important Marvel is to this student.

Leadership was thrust upon me at a young age. When I was six years old, my abusive father abandoned my family, leaving me to step up as the “man” of the house. From having to watch over my little sister to cooking dinner three nights a week, I never lived an ideal suburban life. I didn’t enjoy the luxuries of joining after-school activities, getting driven to school or friends’ houses, or taking weekend trips to the movies or bowling alley. Instead, I spent my childhood navigating legal hurdles, shouldering family responsibilities, and begrudgingly attending court-mandated therapy sessions.

At the same time, I tried to get decent grades and maintain my Colombian roots and Spanish fluency enough to at least partially communicate with my grandparents, both of whom speak little English. Although my childhood had its bright and joyful moments, much of it was weighty and would have been exhausting for any child to bear. In short, I grew up fast. However, the responsibilities I took on at home prepared me to be a leader and to work diligently, setting me up to use these skills later in life.

I didn’t have much time to explore my interests until high school, where I developed my knack for government and for serving others. Being cast in a lead role in my school’s fall production as a freshman was the first thing to give me the confidence I needed to pursue other activities: namely, student government. Shortly after being cast, I was elected Freshman Vice-President, a role that put me in charge of promoting events, delegating daily office tasks, collaborating with the administration on new school initiatives, and planning trips and fundraisers.

While my new position demanded a significant amount of responsibility, my childhood of helping my mom manage our household prepared me to be successful in the role. When I saw the happy faces of my classmates after a big event, I felt proud to know that I had made even a small difference to them. Seeing projects through to a successful outcome was thrilling. I enjoyed my time and responsibilities so much that I served all four years of high school, going on to become Executive Vice-President.

As I found success in high school, my mother and grandparents began speaking more about the life they faced prior to emigrating from Colombia. To better connect with them, I took a series of Spanish language classes to regain my fluency. After a practice run through my presentation on Bendíceme, Ultima ( Bless me, Ultima ) by Rudolofo Anaya, with my grandmother, she squeezed my hand and told me the story of how my family was forced from their home in order to live free of religious persecution. Though my grandparents have often expressed how much better their lives and their children’s lives have been in America, I have often struggled with my identity. I felt that much of it was erased with my loss of our native language.

In elementary school, I learned English best because in class I was surrounded by it. Spanish was more difficult to grasp without a formal education, and my family urged me to become fluent in English so I could be of better help to them in places as disparate as government agencies and grocery stores. When I was old enough to recognize the large part of my identity still rooted in being Colombian, it was challenging to connect these two sides of who I was.

Over time I have been able to reconcile the two in the context of my aspirations. I found purpose and fulfillment through student council, and I knew that I could help other families like my own if I worked in local government. By working through city offices that address housing, education, and support for survivors of childhood abuse, I could give others the same liberties and opportunities my family has enjoyed in this country. Doing so would also help me honor my roots as a first-generation American.

I have been a leader my entire life. Both at Harvard and after graduation, I want to continue that trend. I hope to volunteer with organizations that share my goals. I want to advise policy-making politicians on ways to make children and new immigrants safer and more secure. When my family was at their worst, my community gave back. I hope to give that gift to future generations. A career in local, city-based public service is not a rashly made decision; it is a reflection of where I’ve already been in life, and where I want to be in the future.

Although this essay begins on a somber note, it goes on to show this student’s determination and the joy he found. Importantly, it also ends with a positive, forward-looking perspective. This is a great example of how including your hardship can bolster an essay as long as it is not the essay’s main focus.

Explaining the challenges this student faced from a young age—becoming the man of the house, dealing with legal matters, maintaining good grades, etc.—builds sympathy for his situation. However, the first paragraph is even more impactful because he explains the emotional toll these actions had on him. We understand how he lost the innocence of his childhood and how he struggled to remain connected to his Colombian heritage with all his other responsibilities. Including these details truly allows the reader to see this student’s struggle, making us all the more joyful when he comes out stronger in the end.

Pivoting to discuss positive experiences with student government and Spanish classes for the rest of the essay demonstrates that this student has a positive approach to life and is willing to push through challenges. The tone of the essay shifts from heavy to uplifting. He explains the joy he got out of helping his classmates and connecting with his grandparents, once again providing emotional reflection to make the reader care more.

Overall, this essay does a nice job of demonstrating how this student approaches challenges and negative experiences. Admitting that the responsibilities of his childhood had a silver lining shows his maturity and how he will be able to succeed in government one day. The essay strikes a healthy balance between challenge and hope, leaving us with a positive view of a student with such emotional maturity.

Although the content of this essay is very strong, it struggles with redundancy and disorganized information. He mentions his passion for government at the beginning of the student government paragraph, then again addresses government in the paragraph focused on his Colombian heritage, and concludes by talking about how he wants to get into government once more. Similarly, in the first paragraph, he discusses the struggle of maintaining his Colombian identity and then fully delves into that topic in the third paragraph.

The repetition of ideas and lack of a streamlined organization of this student’s thoughts diminishes some of the emotional impact of the story. The reader is left trying to piece together a swirling mass of information on their own, rather than having a focused, sequential order to follow.

This could be fixed if the student rearranged details to make each paragraph focused on a singular idea. For example, the first paragraph could be about his childhood. The second could be about how student government sparked his interest in government and what he hopes to do one day. The third could be about how he reconnected with his Colombian roots through his Spanish classes, after years of struggling with his identity. And the final paragraph could tie everything together by explaining how everything led to him wanting to pursue a future serving others, particularly immigrants like his family.

Alternatively, the essay could follow a sequential order that would start with his childhood, then explain his struggle with his identity, then show how student government and Spanish classes helped him find himself, and finally, conclude with what he hopes to accomplish by pursuing government.

I never understood the power of community until I left home to join seven strangers in the Ecuadorian rainforest. Although we flew in from distant corners of the U.S., we shared a common purpose: immersing ourselves in our passion for protecting the natural world.

Back home in my predominantly conservative suburb, my neighbors had brushed off environmental concerns. My classmates debated the feasibility of Trump’s wall, not the deteriorating state of our planet. Contrastingly, these seven strangers delighted in bird-watching, brightened at the mention of medicinal tree sap, and understood why I once ran across a four-lane highway to retrieve discarded beer cans.

Their histories barely resembled mine, yet our values aligned intimately. We did not hesitate to joke about bullet ants, gush about the versatility of tree bark, or discuss the destructive consequences of materialism. Together, we let our inner tree-huggers run free.

In the short life of our little community, we did what we thought was impossible. By feeding on each other’s infectious tenacity, we cultivated an atmosphere that deepened our commitment to our values and empowered us to speak out on behalf of the environment. After a week of stimulating conversations and introspective revelations about engaging people from our hometowns in environmental advocacy, we developed a shared determination to devote our lives to this cause.

As we shared a goodbye hug, my new friend whispered, “The world needs saving. Someone’s gotta do it.” For the first time, I believed that that someone could be me.

This student is expressing their diversity through their involvement in a particular community—another nice approach if you don’t want to write about culture or ethnicity. We all have unique things that we geek out over. This student expresses the joy that they derived from finding a community where they could express their love for the environment. Passion is fundamental to university life and generally finds its way into any successful application.

The essay finds strength in the fact that readers feel for the student. We get a little bit of backstory about where they come from and how they felt silenced— “Back home in my predominantly conservative suburb, my neighbors had brushed off environmental concerns” —so it’s easy to feel joy for them when they get set free and finally find their community.

This student displays clear values: community, ecoconsciousness, dedication, and compassion. An admissions officer who reads a diversity essay is looking for students with strong values who will enrich the university community with their unique perspective—that sounds just like this student!

One area of weakness in this essay is the introduction. The opening line— “I never understood the power of community until I left home to join seven strangers in the Ecuadorian rainforest” —is a bit clichĂ©d. Introductions should be captivating and build excitement and suspense for what is to come. Simply telling the reader about how your experience made you understand the power of community reveals the main takeaway of your essay without the reader needing to go any further.

Instead of starting this essay with a summary of what the essay is about, the student should have made their hook part of the story. Whether that looks like them being exasperated with comments their classmates made about politics, or them looking around apprehensively at the seven strangers in their program as they all boarded their flight, the student should start off in the action.

India holds a permanent place in my heart and ears. Whenever I returned on a trip or vacation, I would show my grandmother how to play Monopoly and she would let me tie her sari. I would teach my grandfather English idioms—which he would repeat to random people and fishmongers on the streets—and he would teach me Telugu phrases.

It was a curious exchange of worlds that I am reminded of every time I listen to Indian music. It was these tunes that helped me reconnect with my heritage and ground my meandering identity. Indian music, unlike the stereotype I’d long been imbued with, was not just a one-and-done Bollywood dance number! Each region and language was like an island with its own unique sonic identity. I’m grateful for my discovery of Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, and Tamil tunes, for these discoveries have opened me up to the incredible smorgasbord of diversity, depth, and complexity within the subcontinent I was born in.

Here’s an entirely-different sonic identity for you: Texan slang. “Couldya pass the Mango seltzer, please, hon?” asked my Houstonian neighbor, Rae Ann—her syllables melding together like the sticky cake batter we were making.

Rae Ann and her twang were real curiosities to me. Once, she invited my family to a traditional Texan barbecue with the rest of our neighbors. As Hindus, we didn’t eat beef, so we showed up with chicken kebabs, instead. Rather than looking at us bizarrely, she gladly accepted the dish, lining it up beside grilled loins and hamburger patties.

Her gesture was a small but very well-accepted one and I quickly became convinced she was the human manifestation of “Southern hospitality”—something reflected in each of her viscous, honey-dripping phrases. “Watch out for the skeeters!” was an excellent example. It was always funny at first, but conveyed a simple message: We’ve got each other’s backs and together, we can overcome the blood-sucking mosquitoes of the Houstonian summer! I began to see how her words built bridges, not boundaries.

I believe that sounds—whether it’s music or accents—can make a difference in the ways we perceive and accept individuals from other backgrounds. But sound is about listening too. In Rice’s residential college, I would be the type of person to strike up a conversation with an international student and ask for one of their Airpods (you’d be surprised how many different genres and languages of music I’ve picked up in this way!).

As both an international student and Houstonian at heart, I hope to bridge the gap between Rice’s domestic and international populations. Whether it’s organizing cultural events or simply taking the time to get to know a student whose first language isn’t English, I look forward to listening to the stories that only a fellow wanderer can tell.

This essay does an excellent job of addressing two aspects of this student’s identity. Looking at diversity through sound is a very creative way to descriptively depict their Indian and Texan cultures. Essays are always more successful when they stimulate the senses, so framing the entire response around sound automatically opens the door for vivid imagery.

The quotes from this student’s quirky neighbor bring a sense of realism to the essay. We can feel ourselves at the barbecue and hear her thick Texan accent coming through. The way people communicate is a huge part of their culture and identity, so the way that this student perfectly captures the essence of their Texan identity with accented phrases is skillfully done.

This essay does such a great job of making the sounds of Texas jump off the page, so it is a bit disappointing that it wasn’t able to accomplish the same for India. The student describes the different Indian languages and music styles, but doesn’t bring them to life with quotes or onomatopoeia in the manner that they did for the sounds of Texas.

They could have described the buzz of the sitar or the lyrical pattern of the Telugu phrases their grandfather taught them. Telling us about the diversity of sounds in Indian music is fine, but if the reader can’t appreciate what those sounds resemble, it makes it harder to understand the Indian half of the author’s identity. Especially since this student emulated the sounds and essence of Texas so well, it’s important that India is given the same treatment so we can fully appreciate both sides of this essay.

More Supplemental Essay Tips

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Cultural Identity Essay: Exhaustive Writing Guide, Topic Ideas, Examples

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Are you required to submit an identity essay as part of your college or university admission application? Cultural identity essay is an academic assignment not just for students who want to start higher education but also for those in their first, second, or even third year.  It’s an essay that can be assigned at any academic level. This academic paper is popular because professors want to know more about the student’s personal life to build rapport. Before you start writing the essay, it’s essential first to understand the definition of cultural identity.

What is Cultural Identity?

It’s what you identify with or feel most that you belong to based on heritage, religion, traditions, language, rituals, ethnicity, social class, and other community norms. Your cultural identity can influence how you react or interpret the world around you and give you a sense of belonging. Therefore, before you embark on the writing process, first ask yourself, “what is my cultural identity?” or what is cultural identity in your own words? Your answers will go a long way in helping you learn more about your roots, strength, strong beliefs, and influences that have shaped who you are today. Besides, thinking through the answers to those two questions helps you to come up with main points to use in an essay and share your identity perceptions. 

What is a Cultural Identity Essay?

A well-written cultural identity essay tells the reader how your culture has shaped who you are, your personality, beliefs, outlook, background, and point of view. It’s more like a mini-biography but focuses more on your culture and its peculiarities.  Since cultural identity is a broad topic, there are numerous angles you can focus on to make your essay fascinating from start to finish. For example, you can talk about rituals or unique cultural events that have influenced your personality, a special location, influential people in your community, or racial stereotypes in the USA.

 Cultural Identity Essay Structure

Like any other academic paper, a cultural identity essay structure will be composed of three crucial components: introduction, body, and conclusion. Writing in the first person is recommended, especially when including emotions, feelings, and personal experience. However, if you’re writing a short story or analyzing Jane Collier and Milt Thomas's theory, you can write the essay in the third person.

How to Write a Cultural Identity Essay

If it’s your first time writing a cultural identity essay, you might have difficulties writing text that meets academic standards. The wide array of information available online can be confusing. However, a well-written cultural identity essay example from our writer and the information provided in this post can be an excellent guide. Hers how to write a good cultural identity essay.

Start with Topic Selection

How do you start a cultural identity essay? The first step to writing a quality cultural identity paper is to choose a specific focus area. If you intend to talk about your culture, then good topic examples would be:

  • Influential people in your community
  • Habits that are inherent only to your culture
  • Specific cuisine that tells about your culture
  • How cultural orientation has affected your self-concept
  • A place of significance that tells about your culture
  • Cultural significance in art and how it influenced your personality
  • Self-awareness and cultural identity
  • Specific ingredients and traditional foods from your region
  • A specific cultural event that influenced your personality
  • How your cultural orientation and characteristics facilitate or hinder social competency in a multicultural setting

In case you don’t want to write about yourself, you can focus on how culture relates to education, politics, ethnicity, nationality, religion, social status, or any other unique factor. Some topic examples include:

  • Cultural identity and health equity
  • Cultural identity in a learning environment
  • Evaluating Cultural Identity Using Caryl Phillips Cambridge
  • Cultural identity and globalization
  • The role of language in building cultural identity
  • The position of cultural identity in society
  • Racial stereotypes in America
  • Cultural identity development in ethnic minority
  • Sexuality, gender, and cultural identity
  • Cultural difference between America and China
  • Impact of culture identity change on family

 After getting a good topic, the next step is to develop a thesis statement that focuses on the paper. Next, create an outline. This involves coming up with several main points that you will include in your essay. Ensure they are relevant to the topic. Then assign each point to a specific paragraph.

Write the Introduction

Start with a sentence that will catch the reader’s attention (hook). Follow that up with background information on the topic, then end the introduction with a thesis statement. The first paragraph is a vital part of your cultural identity essay since it tells the reader why that topic is important to you and how it made you the person you are today. Remember, the introduction is only meant to introduce the topic and not really everything. So keep it brief; not more than 10% of the maximum word count. 

Main Body of a Cultural Identity Essay

Present your analysis in this part of the essay. Since this will be the bulky part of your paper, use it to prove your thesis by showing how the events or what you are talking about shaped your cultural identity. Don’t forget to start each paragraph with a topic sentence and show instead of telling. Present the evidence while keeping the thesis statement in mind. 

Remember the main points you used to create an outline, summarize them, and then paraphrase the thesis to wrap up the essay. Remind the reader how your culture has influenced your personality. Use words that express the emotions you have about your cultural identity. Overall, the last paragraph of a cultural identity essay should paraphrase the meaning of cultural identity in your own words and its impact on you. 

Bottom Line

Are you still having trouble coming up with a good topic to write about? If you have been staring at a blank page for hours wondering, “How can I explain my cultural identity?” there is a solution. Acemyhomework has subject experts that are ready to assist you. 

Just give the writer the information to incorporate, and you shall have a high-quality cultural identity essay within the agreed deadline. Students from all academic levels have benefited immensely from our service and reading our identity essay examples. Contact us now and let us create a paper that will boost your academic performance.

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Electrifying guide to a cultural identity essay.

cultural identity essay

“The beauty of the world lies in the diversity of its people.” A simple statement but carrying worth centuries and decades of wisdom. In layman’s language, the account would mean that without diversity, then the world would be one boring place to stay.

Imagine the world with only men, or women, or even animals from one place alone. It wouldn’t have been impressive as it is now with people from all walks of life. And robots are also joining the community, adding to the diversity of this blooming planet, earth. 

So, what is culture? Simply put, it denotes the ways of life of different people. It can be in various aspects, such as the following:

  • Social relations

These are just but a few of how different people differ from each other. Now, to what brought you here, what is a cultural identity essay?

Definition of a Cultural Identity Essay

A cultural identity paper is one that brings out the identity of a person concerning the place where they grew up, religion, economic, or family status. Cultural identity, therefore, means a group of people that one can identify within his/her essay. But wait, there’s more!

Structure of a Cultural Identity Essay

Essays about cultural identity take the same format as other types of academic essay assignments. So, what’s the catch?

The main difference between a cultural identity essay and the other types is that it, unlike the others, it uses the first-person pronoun (I and We). 

To add on that, hardly will students be required to do citations of sources because this paper is more of personal experiences. Students will, therefore, need to have substantial background information to come up with an outstanding cultural identity paper.

The MLA formatting style takes center stage in this type of essay. One would need to be creative enough and have sufficient information to convince the reader. Here are some sources you could use for your cultural identity essay:

  • Your parents (preferably the grandparents)
  • Television documentaries on culture
  • History books in libraries

Bear in mind that all these sources should be operating or found in your national or locality. Let me tell you why.

People who are from a particular area understand their culture and heritage than those from outside. Can a visitor to come to your house for the first time and know what is under your bed? I bet no. 

The crucial differences which distinguish human societies and human beings are not biological. They are cultural. Ruth Benedict.

Are you ready for some cultural identity essay ideas? Then, move that scroll wheel downwards.

Cultural Identity Essay Ideas for You!

The ideas are so many ideas that you can choose from for your essay on cultural identity. A starting point would be asking yourself, “What is my cultural identity?”. You can consider the following ideas:

  • An experience that you went through
  • The story behind a specific famous locality
  • The impact of a particular culture
  • A common practice among people and where it originated from
  • Think of one particular language and trace its roots
  • How have the people around you influenced you?
  • What kinds of food do you eat differently from others, and why?
  • How do you feel when sited with a person of a different race?
  • How do you dress, and why?
  • The impact your religion has had on you
  • What activities did you engage in as a child?

Again the ideas are not limited to what I have listed above. Have you ever watched a football derby, let’s say between Barcelona and Real Madrid? Do you see the number of spectators in attendance? Well, the ideas for essays about identity are more than that.

You may also make use of the numerous cultural identity essay examples found on the internet to generate more ideas. We advise you to take a look at racism essay topics .

And as if that’s not enough, let me share some tips that will help a long way in cranking up your next cultural identity essay.

Great Tips for an Excellent Essay on Cultural Identity

Let’s get down to them right away.

  • Significant on personal experiences unless stated otherwise
  • Make use of linking words
  • Use vivid description
  • MLA formatting
  • Don’t assume, every detail matters

Although these are general tips, their application in your essay will make a high impact on your grades. Now, this is important.

How Would you Describe your Cultural Identity?

A vivid description of the use of personal experiences is the most recommended way that you can use.

What Are Examples of Cultural Identity?

They include nationality, ethnicity, religion, social class, generation, and locality, just but a few to mention.

Why is Having a Cultural Identity Important?

It gives people a sense of belonging to a particular social or ethnic group. Cultural identity also contributes to acknowledging and balancing the beliefs and values of other people and their cultures.

Difference Between Culture and Identity?

Culture is a way of life of a particular group of people, whereas identity is the knowledge of who you are as a person. 

It is as simple and straightforward as that. A cultural identity essay would not take you more than an hour to complete with the tips and outline given above. Take one of the recommended ideas above and start writing an essay on it. You will be amazed at how far you’ve improved your skills in cultural identity essays.

We know that writing an essay for your college assignment would prove tough for you, especially without an excellent writing service . Dubious websites would lure you into giving them your work and later disappoint you with low quality work at high rates. However, with us, we offer professional writers with years of expertise and a proven track record from our thousands of clients.

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Writing An Excellent Cultural Identity Essay For All Levels

cultural identity essay

Before starting an identity essay, it’s important that you first consider what the assignment prompt is asking you to do. This kind of writing is closely associated with narrative writing because it can be quite personal, but sometimes you will need to write about others. In the latter case, you should refer to some cultural identity essay examples to learn how to talk about a cultural group you may not feel a part of without causing any offense. An identity essay can be tricky if you don’t fully understand the definition, so we will discuss it a bit in this article as well as give you a few ideas on the subject worth your consideration.

What is Cultural Identity?

The widely accepted definition of cultural identity is that it is the concept or belief of belonging to a specific group of people. This is, of course, filled with many sub-factors and is debatable because of the various cultural, historical, and generational characteristics (among others) that one can use to classify oneself or a group. It can be a bit complicated and many experts suggest that is no absolute definition since the characteristics one chooses to use often expand to overlap with others.

Students may find themselves having to write an essay response for an application or a personal narrative that asks them to answer the question “What is my cultural identity?” and not have a clear idea of where to begin. In such cases, it’s probably best for students to review an identity essay example to develop a better understanding of the best method for defining and writing a logical response. With a little bit of practice, students will get a full grasp of what readers are looking for when dealing with this subject. As for the structure and format, you can follow a typical five-paragraph essay outline.

12 Essay Topics on Identity Issues

The following 12 topics deal with a variety of areas appropriate for an identity paper assignment for high school, college, and graduate school courses. We encourage students to consider each one carefully and thoroughly, and then to apply their own twist to the ideas presented in order to make the subject truly personal:

  • Language is an essential piece of what makes us who we are culturally speaking. But many people take their families traditional forms of communicating for granted and instead adopt a new language to fit in with their surroundings. Write a cultural identity essay about myself where you discuss being bi-lingual.
  • Describe a real-life experience that helped you connect with a group in a self-identity essay. This can be a connection you felt with family, friends, or strangers. It should be something that you believe has influenced you to become the person you are today.
  • How did the foods that you ate and the language that you spoke at home when growing up, affect the way you identify? Write a culture and identity essay focused on your family and upbringing. Consider how things were different from you than others in your neighborhood.
  • Do you identify as an American or do you hold on to another country’s culture? Write an American identity essay where you explore what it means to be an American and whether or not the blinds between being single or multi-cultural is still relevant today.
  • How does the way we communicate with family, friends, and strangers influence the way we think about identity? How are these two things linked and how important is the former to the latter? Write a language and identity essay exploring this relationship, and consider using personal examples.
  • Write an ethnic identity essay comparing and contrasting two different groups of people that are often combined in generalized discussions. For instance, Chinese and Japanese, Mexican and Salvadorians, or English and Scottish, etc. How are these generalizations offensive and why are they still prevalent in media and the way people perceive them?
  • With so many people conducting various day-to-day activities, are we to blame for being victims to cyber-crimes? Give an example of such a crime in an identity theft essay that examines cause and effect – and take an unbiased approach towards casting blame.
  • Examine how American Literature of the 20th century lends itself to common beliefs about ethnicity and equality in a racial identity essay. Do writers set racial boundaries that are encouraged or promoted in today’s society or do they aim to bring down such boundaries by citing the existence of such barriers?
  • Give an explanation behind the personal identity definition. For instance, how does one’s personal identity change over time as a result of environmental and social factors that have a great influence on the way one may view him or herself?
  • Write an essay about identity in the 21st century. Consider the different ways in which people are generally more inclined to be untruthful when it comes to stating beliefs over the internet as a result of anonymity without checks. Does this strengthen people’s perception of their own identity or does it take them further away from reality?
  • Write an essay about identity in a world where social media communication has become the primary way for people to communicate with masses who they don’t know personally. Think of followers on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and a user’s quest to reach out to more people and increase followers and fans.
  • Describe how an identity essay introduction for something like a university admission or scholarship application can give the wrong impression if it is poorly written. What are the most important qualities that should be expressed in the opening paragraph?

Finding High-Quality Writing Assistance on the Web

In order to learn more about proper structure and format for a personal identity essay, students are encouraged to visit a professional academic writing service online. There they will find a variety of resources, including identity essay examples, custom-written templates, and original topics to fit specific assignment prompts. For an affordable price, students can also hire a professional to write, review, edit, or proofread a cultural identity essay to ensure they hand in an assignment that meets the highest standards of academic quality at any grade level.

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  • Cultural Identity Essay
  • Cultural Identity Essay or Explore Your Roots

Cultural Identity Essay or Explore Your Roots

The Role of the Assignment

Purpose of cultural identity essay, why is cultural identity important.

  • Cultural Identity Essay Topics

Cultural identity essay topics related to education

Cultural identity essay topics related to nationality and ethnicity, cultural identity essay topics related to politics, cultural identity essay topics related to social status, cultural essay: things to talk about while writing.

  • How to Write Cultural Identity Essay

Cultural Identity Essay Topics 

Cultural identity essay topics may vary due to the wide range of spheres related to the culture, identity formation, and cultural effects. Among the major spheres there may be outlined:

  • Cultural identity in schools
  • Acculturation and school adjustment of immigrants in America
  • The role of cultural identity in the conversations between students
  •  Cultural identity crisis in the modern age of digital transformation
  • Cultural identity development in ethnic minority or culture with friends
  • Identity formation in young adulthood
  • Cultural diversity value
  • Cultural communication
  • Professional communication cultural sensitivity 
  • Self-expression of identity in literature
  • Personal perspective and cultural identity
  • Cultural advances in Islamic world
  • Cultural identity development
  • Racial cultural identity development model
  • Cultural hybridity identity
  • Cultural tourism
  • Cultural understanding of the cultural diversity
  • Cross-cultural health perspective
  • Cultural identity and its role in cultural development
  • Cultural conflict between family and culture
  • Social identity and political intolerance
  • The relation between cultural identity and American revolution
  • Racial stereotypes in America
  • The effects of British colony on the cultural identity of the nation
  • Cultural forms of the term African-American
  • Cultural intelligence in the modern world
  • Cultural modernism
  • Cultural influence on politics
  • Cultural identity and social class
  • Cultural representation of high social class
  • Cultural priorities and workplace design
  • Cultural identity and health equity
  • Cultural perceptions of time in Africa
  • Intersectionality between cultural identities in health industry
  • The linkage between cultural identity and behavioral change

There are a lot of essays with other topics on our platform. Need a  nature vs nurture essay ? Find it and much more in our database any time you wish.

How to Write Cultural Identity Essay 

“My parents told me that my cultural identity is African American. It is reflected in meals, literature, religion, anthropology, behavior, family structure, cinematography, music, art, language, and many other factors. It is a symbolic level. African American life is based on the faith and hope: we express it via music, prayer, and worship. The religion of my family reminds more of the modern United States than African tribes, but it is different from a typical Christianity. I have felt my passion for the humanitarian subjects from the beginning of the educational process. The one subject that people of African American origins stress among the rest is music. Music is the best way to identify one with the particular culture. Various thematical papers and songs have informed the listeners about the deeds & events that took place within African American society. There are many different genres applied to express various emotions. One of my favorite historical episode to describe my ethnical belonging the best was June 19th when the slaves started to celebrate Juneteenth Holiday, which is recognized by the entire country nowadays. It became the African American addendum to the US Independence Day. This holiday reveals the most important attribute of my nationality – love for freedom. Each new year the African American community celebrates this date, it becomes more exciting: the spirit of my ethnical group is flying in the air. I have met different people from various regions of Africa in the US. The celebration unites these representatives with different tastes, life goals, stories, and views in one location where we can exchange the obtained experience. It returns the sense of cultural identity to each of us. The celebration helps to understand these people have more in common than they thought even though each of the African American citizens of the United States is an individual with his own preferences and opinions. I pay attention to the specific, behavioral, and the symbolic for they possess their place in a person being who they are. I wish other citizens of the US who came overseas will realize their belonging one day. There are several helpful ways. One of them is “to acquire a new culture by becoming disabled, moving to a new country or region, or by a change in our economic status. It is enough to start thinking about our belonging to let nostalgia win.” (Community Tool Box, 2013). This truth of life should go hand in hand with every man. Without knowing our identity, we do not exist; people are born to serve their native land as well as the word of God, and I believe it is equally important.”

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102 Intercultural Communication Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best intercultural communication topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on intercultural communication, 📌 most interesting intercultural communication topics to write about, ❓ questions about intercultural communication.

  • 6 Barriers of Intercultural Communication Essay Cross cultural or intercultural communication is a part of the interaction of different people from different backgrounds and heritages. In this way, prejudice is inevitable blockage of cross-cultural communication as it is a source to […]
  • Intercultural Communication Essay: Differences in Cultural, Religious, and Ethnic Backgrounds Identity management theories are also a form of intercultural communication theory developed to explain the cross-cultural aspect of communication where intercultural communication under this theory is seen to originate from the intercultural and intracultural types […]
  • Diverse Contexts and Intercultural Communication at Work As the world moves to the global environment, the modern workplace becomes more and more diverse. When individuals are educated about intercultural differences are more likely to alter their communication styles to suit the needs […]
  • The Role of Ethnocentrism in Intercultural Communication The only way to control ethnocentrism is to avoid biases as we find better ways to understand other people’s point of view.
  • Effects of the Language Barrier on Intercultural Communication This paper will argue for some of the major problems of language barriers in the context of intercultural communication, highlighting the severity of the issue and its effect on the practice.
  • Intercultural Communication in “Gran Torino” Movie However, it is also quite peculiar that the scene in question allows viewing the issue of the culture clash on so many different levels; specifically, the fact that the conflict occurs not only between an […]
  • Fundamentals of Intercultural Communication This education is one that derived from the cultural point of view of the society and hence the early childhood education strove to inculcate this sense in the young minds.
  • The Importance of Intercultural Communication Engaging in dual perspectives is among the concepts I would apply to improve communication of my ideas and needs to the Chinese friend.
  • Intercultural Communication Led by UNESCO The organization aspires to achieve universal respect for justice, the rule of law, human rights, and freedom for all the communities in the world.
  • The Effect of Global Technology on Intercultural Communication Global technology allows for open access to a wealth of information, resources, and influence that can encourage change in cultures and societies.
  • Ways to Improve Intercultural Communication There may be lack of understanding between the two parties because information may be misunderstood because of the preconceived beliefs about members of one’s cultural background which may not apply to the individual involved in […]
  • Intercultural Communication: Self-Awareness’ Importance However, to understand it, a person must be able to connect to the lives of others and to observe these processes in other people.
  • Reducing Intercultural Communication Barriers To reduce the above challenges, I must be aware of the barriers, be empathetic, pay careful attention to communication cues, and always verify with the receiver that I have understood his or her response. Academically, […]
  • Intercultural Communication Perspectives These include the definition of intercultural communication and an overview of the contents involved in teaching it; it also provides a brief overview of personal experience as a teacher in an intercultural learning institution.
  • Understanding Intercultural Communication by Ting-Toomey and Leeva Christianity in the North American and European tradition has a hard-hitting history of Christian colonialism, when the faith was imposed on the inhabitants of the territories of the occupied countries, with the belittling of the […]
  • Personal Worldview and Intercultural Communications God sacrificed Jesus to wash the sins of people and get rid of the iniquities and curses on the earth. From a Christian worldview, I could easily identify topics and teachings of the Christian religion […]
  • Franco-Italian Intercultural Communication As a result, collective approaches to the problems created by their uprooting and by the necessity of adjusting to the new society tend to be organized along village lines, or at best on the basis […]
  • Intercultural Communication and Success at Work Such people have limited abilities to consider alternative behaviours in processes of interpersonal communications that involve different cultures. Such forms of cross-cultural communications are difficult and may lead to interpersonal conflicts in communications.
  • Intercultural Communication Patterns in the U.S. and UK Additionally, the concept of equality is notable in the American culture. Contrastingly, in the American culture, people are more casual and less formal compared to Britons.
  • Face Concept in Chinese Culture: A Complication to Intercultural Communication One of the concepts of face in Chinese culture is that of losing face. This paper set out to argue that the concept of face in Chinese culture complicates intercultural communication.
  • Intercultural Business and Legal Communication Additionally, the scholarly critique shall attempt to identify the goals of the article and the key theories and concepts used and whether are not these theories and concepts achieved the goals of the article. The […]
  • Intercultural Communication Principles In other words, if good interpersonal and international relationships are not managed through intercultural communication, there is no possibility of gaining benefits from all other areas.
  • Australian Education and Intercultural Communication Australian education is among the best globally, offering quality education that has led to the growth and development of the nation socially, culturally, and economically.
  • Religion in Intercultural Communication The main political message in the scripture explains God’s role as the creator and master of everything in the universe. The excerpt is generally acknowledged as one of the most important verses in the sacred […]
  • Intercultural Communication in Business For an organization to be successful in the global market, leaders must conduct extensive research and fully understand the cultural and social values of the foreign country.
  • The Engagement of Christian Intercultural Communication Therefore, the text generally provides the comparison between the Christian Intercultural Communication in the missionaries and theologians concerning the intercultural Communication and its impact on the fulfillment of the great commission.
  • Intercultural Communication in Chinese Business Despite the accelerating processes of globalization, the diversity of cultures still obliges people to be familiar with values and customs in advance to create the best and most delicate communication channel.
  • Local Community and Intercultural Communication: Helping Immigrants I will organize community events and invite both local members of the church and the immigrants in order to create a safe environment for them to meet.
  • Limitations in Intercultural Communication The main barriers that reduce the effectiveness of interactions are the differences in cognitive schemes used by representatives of different cultures 1.
  • Intercultural Communication and Healthcare Delivery: Cranford Population The racial composition of the Cranford population shows that it comprises of different races, which implies that cultural communication is essential in the delivery of healthcare services.
  • Relationship Between Ethnocentrism and Intercultural Communication The scaling for the questions administered ranged from 1 to 5; a score with a mean of 1 showed a low level of ethnocentrism, while a score with a mean of 5 showed a higher […]
  • Intercultural Communication Campaign: Asian Students’ Reticence Issues The given communication campaign will primarily focus on the issues of reticence among Asian international students through the socio-centric and non-argumentative approaches.
  • Intercultural and Cross-Cultural Communication It examines Agar’s specific approach to the notion of culture, the preconditions for intercultural breakdowns, and the appropriate solution to prevent them.
  • Effective Intercultural Communication Culture is collective programming, a system of meanings and notions, which are shared between the members of one culture group and are used to construe the world around them.
  • Intercultural Communication Attitudes It’s important to take into account cultural differences to make intercultural teams effective. It’s also necessary to pay attention to gender, age, and socioeconomic status.
  • Intercultural Communication: Aspects In order to fulfill my interests, I always ensure that I make good use of every opportunity I get by interacting a lot with the people I meet.
  • Intercultural Communication in the Workplace For this to happen, both men and women do not have to be in a relationship as it happens in many cases. In business matters, it is very significant to appreciate the morals and customs […]
  • Intercultural Communication in the Global Workplace This intercultural communication can be defined as the process which involves a combination of various skills, knowledge plus the combination of theoretical insights in trying to exchange meaningful and unambiguous information across the cultural boundaries […]
  • Personal Worldview and Intercultural Communication Since I believe that living according to the word is the only right thing to do, I tend to disregard other people’s cultures because, in my view, my culture is right and other people’s cultures […]
  • Intercultural Communication in Contexts: Chapters Review As it is clear in this chapter, one of the ways by which the two differ from each other is that; nonverbal communication which includes the use of facial expressions, gestures, and proxemics among other […]
  • Intercultural Communication as Practiced in the US There are certain patterns of nonverbal behavior disclosing a particular communicative idea, but there are cases when it is impossible to display those patterns successfully. Therefore, it is much harder to conceal nonverbal signals that […]
  • Intercultural Communication in the Arabian Gulf Region The concept of intercultural communication is particularly important to the countries in the Arabian Gulf where the rate of cultural diversity is at an all time high.
  • Intercultural Communication Sensitivity Against Ethnocentrism While examining the ethnocentric limitations of the humanistic theory, it is necessary to consider the theoretical concept of ethnocentrism in detail.
  • Intercultural Communication in the Series “Tyrant” Caught up in the middle of a revolt against the ruling family, he loses his father, who died during the coup, and is forced to help his brother and the new president to overcome the […]
  • Intercultural Business Communication Approaches This section assesses Hofstede’s research and arguments in support of the validity and reliability of his research. Hofstede’s research on culture is the most extensive and widely referenced.
  • Business and Intercultural Communication The ability to communicate in a business environment might be hindered by the following factors that are not typical for less formal communication: workforce diversity, the pervasiveness of technology, the complexity of the organizational structures, […]
  • Culture Shock and Intercultural Communication The challenges of mistreatment of women and religious orientations can be addressed by conducting workshops and trainings aimed at assisting expatriate employees to develop adequate cultural competence on how to deal with culturally diverse others […]
  • Intercultural Communication in Contexts: Fifth Edition Review Another aspect of language to consider is the evolvement of technology in the digital age and the emergence of online communication.
  • Intercultural Communication: Identity and Relationships The other position is the relativist, which provides that the language, which a person speaks, determines the perception of that particular person on different issues in life.
  • Intercultural Communication in the Business World In the context of the case study, one of the mistakes Clyde made was the failure to take time to learn about the culture of Senseyans before interacting with them.
  • Intercultural Communication Barriers There is absolutely no way through which one is able to learn all the norms of every culture and their sub-culture all in a bid to understand the various barriers to intercultural communication.
  • Intercultural Communication: Different Aspects Discussing the main aspects of the inter-cultural communication, Carol Myers-Scotton focuses on the role of globalisation in the process, on differences between collectivistic and individualistic cultures which influence the particular features of the representatives’ communication, […]
  • Intercultural Communication: Workers From Diverse Backgrounds Verderber and Verderber allege that communication is quite intricate in multinational organizations due to a diverse body of workers with distinct educational, cultural, and social backgrounds.
  • Computer Mediated Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication Despite the fact that social media clearly poses a tangible threat to the culture of live communication and, therefore, will contribute to the shriveling of people’s social skills, computer mediated interpersonal and intercultural communication will […]
  • Intercultural Communication: Stereotypes and Perspectives Finally, it is possible to say that being a rather complicated issue; communication also has a great number of different prejudices connected with the culture of people and their behavior.
  • International and Intercultural Communication On the masculinity and femininity dimension, the scores of the two countries are 62 for the United States and 40 for Tanzania.
  • Intercultural Interaction and Communication Plan: Merced, CA The documents help to inform the school and students about the changes in education and ensure communities and parents participate in the process of learning.
  • Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication at the Workplace The interview was explained to the reasons of the interview and the need for the specific information being searched for. The key concept to retain in communication, is that no one component of communication – […]
  • Kinesics and Proxemics in Intercultural Negotiations There are a myriad of kinesics and it will be hard for the US Company to learn all of the applicable kinesics when relating to the Japanese people.
  • Intercultural Communication in Society Unlike other people in New Jersey, Alexander Mathew has a friendly attitude towards tourists, as he likes sharing his cultural beliefs and traditions with different people.
  • Intercultural Communication Experiences: Interview With an Immigrant Sheik Omar is an immigrant to the United States and lives in the Atlantic City, New Jersey. The writer thought that Sheik Omar has adopted American culture since he has lived in the United States […]
  • Intercultural and International Differences in Professional Communication On the other hand, the Americans communication culture is comprised of verbal communication. In this case, the Taiwanese culture is the high context culture while Americans is the low context culture.
  • Language and Culture: Language Acquisition The process of the first language acquisition is considered to be a psycholinguistic process, while the second language acquisition is the area for study for linguists.
  • Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication in the UAE Since the business and cultural links established between the UAE and other states are crucial for the process of the states’ development, it is highly required that the root causes of intercultural and intracultural conflicts […]
  • Martin and Nakayama: Intercultural Communication in Contexts In their book, the authors reveal to the readers that there are two types of nonverbal communication. To this end, they state that motivation, knowledge, attitude and behavior are the major components for facilitating intercultural […]
  • Intercultural Communication in Various Contexts Code switching practices have led countries to declare the official languages in a country in order to promote the assimilation of the people in the country.
  • Fundamentals of Intercultural Communication Unlike other minority groups in Europe, the Jews face more segregation owing to the stereotype created about them in reference to the past association with the communities there, particularly, Germany and Austria, countries that were […]
  • “Intercultural Communication in Business Ventures” Article Study Upon determining the market potential in the international market, it is critical for firms’ management teams to evaluate the various factors that would be necessary in the exploitation of the market opportunities.
  • Islamic Living: Effective Cross-Cultural Communication It is not possible to separate Islam as a religion and the way one who professes the faith lives because it has been said to be a way of life.
  • Cross Cultural Communications in the Globalized World Among the cultures that have always been in conflict are the Islamic culture and the American culture. Assimilation in the American and Islamic cultures is desirable if effective communication is to occur between adherents of […]
  • Inter-Cultural Communication Skills in Career Goal at the Contemporary Workplace It will be necessary for me to use emotional intelligence, for example in a scenario where the customer was mean or rude to one of my graphic designers’ due to dissatisfaction, it will be imperative […]
  • Challenges of Effective Intercultural Communication Inter-cultural communications professionals work with global firms to play down the aforementioned results of poor inter-cultural understanding. Lingual acquaintance serves to bridge the cultural bridges and evening lines of communication.
  • Efficient Intercultural Interaction and Communication This way, they will be able to learn the different languages and this is important for communication and good co-existence in the societies. The kind or number of affiliations that a person may have with […]
  • What Are Some Examples of Intercultural Communication?
  • How Can Barriers to Intercultural Communication Be Overcome?
  • What Are the Types of Intercultural Communication?
  • How Does Poor Intercultural Communication Affect International Commerce and Foreign Policy?
  • How Do We Deal With Intercultural Communication?
  • What Are Some Intercultural Communication Problems?
  • What Are Intercultural Communication Skills?
  • What Is Intercultural Communication and Examples?
  • What Makes Intercultural Communication Essential in the Process of Globalization?
  • What Is Intercultural Communication, and Why Is It Important?
  • Why Is It Important to Think Beyond Ourselves as Individuals in Intercultural Interaction?
  • How Does Poor Intercultural Communication Affects International?
  • What Are the Four Forms of Intercultural Communication?
  • What Is the Other Name for Intercultural Communication?
  • What Is the Role of Intercultural Communication in Work-Life?
  • What Are the Three Challenges of Intercultural Communication?
  • Why Do We Need to Understand Intercultural Communication?
  • How Important Is Intercultural Communication to Our Society?
  • What Makes for Good Intercultural Communication?
  • What Are the Four Elements of Intercultural Communication?
  • What Role Does Intercultural Communication Play in Achieving Effective Communication?
  • What Is the Difference Between Cultural and Intercultural?
  • What Are the Six Dichotomies of Intercultural Communication?
  • What Are the Challenges of Intercultural Communication?
  • What Is the Meaning of Intercultural?
  • Bilingual Education Essay Ideas
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  • Globalization Essay Topics
  • Corporate Communication Questions
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Cultural Identity Essay: Writing Guidelines for an A+ Paper

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  • Icon Calendar 6 July 2024
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Writing a cultural identity essay is an exciting academic exercise that allows students to develop and utilize critical thinking, reflective, and analytical skills. Unlike a standard essay, this type of paper requires learners to use first-person language throughout. In essence, such a composition is about writers and what makes them identify with a particular societal orientation. Further on, they should choose a specific identity and focus on it throughout their texts. Moreover, authors should reflect and brainstorm, use the “show, not tell” method, utilize transitions to create a natural flow of ideas, and proofread their papers to eliminate mistakes and errors. Hence, students need to learn how to write a cultural identity essay correctly to provide high-quality papers to their readers.

General Aspects

Students undertake different writing exercises in their learning environments to develop their critical thinking, reflective, and analytical skills. Basically, one of these exercises is academic writing, and among different types of essays that students write is a cultural identity paper. In this case, it is a type of essay where authors write about their culture, which entails exploring and explaining a real significance of their ethnic roots. Moreover, there are numerous topics that instructors may require students to write about in such documents. In principle, some assignment prompts fall under different disciplines, such as religion, socio-economic status, family, education, ethnicity, and business. Besides, the main defining features of such a composition are what aspects make authors know that they are writing in this type of essay. In turn, these features include language, nationality, gender, history, upbringing, and religion, among many others.

What Is a Cultural Identity Essay and Its Purpose

According to its definition, a cultural identity essay is a reflective and analytical piece of writing that explores an individual’s unique ethnic background, experiences, and influences. The main purpose of writing a cultural identity essay is to explore and articulate various elements of culture that constitute one’s life, such as ethnicity, traditions, language, customs, and values (Greetham, 2023). Through this paper, writers engage in self-examination, present their ethnic narrative, and offer more insights into a uniqueness and complexity of their experiences. Moreover, such a composition promotes self-awareness and allows individuals to acknowledge and appreciate their roots while also recognizing a unique diversity of experiences within their social group. By sharing these experiences and reflections, both a particular writer and his or her readers to recognize various complexities and richness of ethnic identities, highlighting a real importance of cultural heritage in shaping who they are (Wallace, 2021). In terms of pages and words, the length of a cultural identity essay depends on academic levels, specific assignment requirements, academic standards, and a depth of analysis, while general guidelines are:

High School

  • Length: 1-2 pages
  • Word Count: 250-500 words

College (Undergraduate)

  • Length: 3-5 pages
  • Word Count: 750-1,250 words

University (Bachelor)

  • Length: 5-7 pages
  • Word Count: 1,250-1,750 words

Master’s

  • Length: 8-12 pages
  • Word Count: 2,000-3,000 words
  • Length: 12-20+ pages
  • Word Count: 3,000-5,000+ words

How to write a cultural identity essay

SectionContent
TitleA clear, concise, and engaging title that reflects your essay’s focus.
IntroductionIntroduce a concept of your cultural identity.
Write a short overview of what your essay will cover.
State a thesis that outlines your main points or focus of an essay.
BackgroundProvide context about your ancestral background.
Discuss some origins, history, and key elements of your culture (ethnicity, language, traditions, etc.).
Personal ExperienceShare personal examples and experiences related to your ethnic roots.
Explain how these experiences have shaped your beliefs, values, and identity.
Cultural InfluencesDiscuss various social influences that have impacted your life.
Include family, community, education, and societal factors.
Analysis and ReflectionAnalyze how your ancestral orientation has influenced your worldview and interactions with others.
Reflect on some challenges and benefits of writing about your ethnic heritage.
Cross-Cultural Comparisons (Optional)Compare your culture with other cultures.
Highlight similarities and differences.
ConclusionSummarize your main points discussed in an essay.
Restate your thesis in a particular context of a text presented.
Reflect on some challenges and benefits of your ethnic heritage.
References (Optional)List any sources cited in an essay and follow an appropriate citation style, like MLA, APA, Chicago/Turabian, Harvard, etc.

Note: Some sections of a cultural identity essay can be added, deleted, or combined with each other. In writing, people explain their cultural identity by describing a unique mix of traditions, values, language, and personal experiences that have shaped their beliefs and sense of self.

Generally, a cultural identity essay is similar to a standard academic paper regarding its structure and outline. However, a central point of difference is a specific topic to write about. In this case, a cultural identity essay is a reflective exploration of how people’s ethnicities, family traditions, languages, and personal experiences have shaped their beliefs, values, and sense of self (Spelic, 2019). While standard academic papers, such as argumentative, persuasive, and informative essays, require learners to use third-person language, such a composition requires them to use first-person language. As such, authors should use the word “I” throughout to show a target audience that they are writing from their perspective. Indeed, this aspect is a primary objective of such an essay – to give a writer’s perspective concerning his or her culture (Davies et al., 2019). Besides, another point of difference between such an essay and other papers is that the former does not require writers to utilize external sources but to write from a personal viewpoint.

Examples of Cultural Identity Prompts

Cultural Orientation and Socialization in a Learning Environment

Here, this prompt may require students to discuss an actual significance of culture in education, focusing on ethnic heritage and socialization. As such, this topic requires writers to reflect on how culture influences behavior in a learning environment.

The Impact of Culture Change on Family

Here, a writing assignment may require students to explore and discuss how culture impacts a family unit. Moreover, a central theme is a family, and a student’s mission would be to explain how culture in all its dynamics affects families in diverse settings.

The Role of Language in Building an Ethnic Identity

Here, instructions may require students to explore and explain a particular significance of language in ethnic heritage. Hence, writers should focus on explaining a specific place of culture in a sociology discipline, focusing on a direct connection between language and cultural orientation.

The Significance of Culture in a Globalized Economy

Here, such a prompt may require students to explore and discuss how culture affects individuals and businesses in today’s connected world. Besides, a student’s task would be to explain how culture, in all its dynamics, such as language, is essential in business for individuals and enterprises.

How Culture Influences Relations in the Workplace

Here, an essay prompt may require students to explore and explain how culture, in all its dynamics, affects or influences social relations at the workplace. In turn, a particular task of writers, for example, would be to focus on how human resource (HR) departments can use culture to enrich workplace relations.

The Place of Culture in Individuals’ Self-Concept

Here, an analysis of a theme may require students to reflect on how their ethnic orientation has affected their self-concept. Moreover, a student’s task would be to discuss how culture and its dynamics enable individuals to build a strong or weak understanding of themselves.

The Importance of Cultural Orientation in a Multicultural Environment

Here, assignment writing instructions may require students to explore and discuss how their ethnic orientation enables them to operate in a culturally diverse environment, such as a school or workplace. In this case, a student’s task would be to explain how identity characteristics, such as language and religion, facilitate or hamper social competency in a multicultural setting. 

How Global Conflicts Disturb Ethnic Identity for Refugees

Here, this prompt example may require students to explore and explain how conflicts in today’s world, such as civil unrest, affect a unique identity heritage of those who flee to foreign countries. As such, a student’s task would be to explain how one’s culture is affected in a new environment with totally different social dynamics.

The Challenges of Acculturation

Here, this kind of prompt may require students to explore and explain possible challenges that individuals face in identifying with a dominant culture. In particular, a student’s task would be to explain a specific significance of a dominant culture and what those from other cultures that try to identify with it must confront.

Host Country Culture and Multinational Enterprises

Here, this essay prompt sample may require students to explore and explain how a host country’s culture affects expatriates working for multinational corporations. Besides, a student’s task would be to show how one’s culture defines their behaviors and how that can be affected in a new environment with new social characteristics.

Compare and Contrast Native Culture and Dominant Culture in the United States

Here, such instructions require students to explain specific areas of similarity and difference between a Native culture and a dominant culture. In turn, a student’s task would be to define both a Native culture and a dominant culture and help a target audience to understand whether they mean the same thing. Hence, whether they do or do not, students should elaborate.

The Objective of Acculturation

Here, this prompt example requires students to explore and explain why people prefer to identify with a dominant culture. Moreover, a student’s task would be to note some advantages of a dominant culture over others and possible opportunities that one may access to identify with this dominant culture.

The Challenges That the LGBTQ Community Faces in the Modern World

Here, essay prompt instructions require students to explore and discuss potential challenges that lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender people face in their normal day-to-day activities. In this case, a student’s task would be to explain an uniqueness of a LGBTQ community and how stereotyping makes their lives miserable in an environment where people are intolerant of different personalities and viewpoints.

Dangers of Cultural Intolerance in the Health Care System

Here, assignment instructions may require students to explore and discuss how nurses who are intolerant of social differences may jeopardize patients’ lives.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Acculturation

Here, such a prompt requires students to discuss some pros and cons of identifying with a dominant culture.

How to Know

Key defining features of a cultural identity essay give students a particular indication that they need to write this kind of paper. For example, cultural identity is important because it shapes people’s traditions, customs, languages, family practices, historical backgrounds, values, beliefs, personal experiences, and sense of belonging, fostering self-awareness and promoting a deeper understanding and appreciation of lifestyle diversity (Heersmink, 2021). Hence, when students read instructions regarding their essay topics they need to write about, they should identify one or several defining elements. In turn, these elements include language, nationality, religion, ethnicity, and gender.

Steps on How to Write a Cultural Identity Essay

To write a cultural identity essay, people reflect on and describe some significant aspects of their ethnic backgrounds, such as traditions, language, and experiences, and analyze how they have influenced their worldview. In turn, common steps for writing a good cultural identity essay are:

  • Understand an Assignment: Read and comprehend an essay’s prompt to ensure you meet all requirements.
  • Choose a Focus: Select specific aspects of your ethnic heritage to highlight in your essay.
  • Conduct Research: Gather information about your ancestral background and its historical context.
  • Brainstorm and Outline: Reflect on your cultural experiences and organize your thoughts into an outline.
  • Write a Strong Introduction:   Write an engaging opening with a hook, background information, and a thesis statement.
  • Develop Body Paragraphs: Discuss each aspect of your ethnic heritage with personal examples and reflections.
  • Incorporate Cultural Influences: Explore an actual role of family, community, and society in shaping your social orientation.
  • Address Challenges and Pride: Highlight any challenges faced and express pride in your actual roots.
  • Write a Logical Conclusion: Summarize key points, restate a central thesis, and offer final thoughts on identity heritage.
  • Revise and Edit: Review for coherence, clarity, and errors, and make revisions based on feedback.

As stated previously, a primary point of similarity between a cultural identity essay and standard papers is its writing structure and outline. In this case, to start a cultural identity essay, people begin with an engaging hook, provide background context on their ethnic heritage, and present a clear thesis statement that outlines main aspects of their roots they will explore further (Spelic, 2019). Basically, this structure and outline comprise three main sections: introduction, body, and conclusion. Like in all other papers, writing such a composition requires students to address specific issues, which are, in essence, a defining characteristics of an essay’s structure and outline. In turn, some examples of sentence starters for beginning a cultural identity essay include:

  • Growing up in a household where [specific cultural practices] were a daily routine, my ethnic heritage was shaped by specific traditions and values of my [ethnicity/nationality] heritage.
  • A rich picture of my lifestyle is woven from diverse threads of my family’s history, which includes [briefly mention key ethnic elements].
  • From a young age, I was impressed by unique customs of my [specific social group], where celebrations and rituals played a crucial role in shaping my sense of self.
  • My journey to understanding my cultural roots began with shared stories that my grandparents told me about their experiences in [country/region], which instilled in me a deep appreciation for our heritage.
  • A direct connection between [ethnicity] and [ethnicity] cultures in my upbringing provided me with a unique perspective on life and allowed me to embrace my complex heritage.
  • Living in a multicultural community, I was constantly surrounded by different traditions and practices, which enriched my understanding of my own ethnic identity.
  • Reflecting on my childhood, I realized that cultural festivals and family gatherings we celebrated were essential in fostering a strong connection to my [specific culture] roots.
  • A particular influence of my ancestral background on my personal values and beliefs is profound, as it has shaped my worldview and interactions with others in significant ways.
  • As a child of immigrants, my life was shaped by blending my parents’ homeland traditions with new cultural norms of our adopted country.
  • Understanding and embracing my ethnic roots has been a continuous journey, marked by moments of both pride and challenge, as I strive to honor my heritage while finding my place in a current world.

Introduction and Its Defining Characteristics

An introduction is the first paragraph of a cultural identity essay. Here, students introduce themselves to a target audience, giving a brief background of their ethnic heritage. Moreover, rules of academic writing dictate that this part should not exceed 10 percent of a whole word count of an entire paper (Greetham, 2023). In this case, writers should be brief and concise. Then, the most prominent component of this section is a thesis, a statement that appears at the end of an introduction paragraph and whose objective is to indicate a writer’s mission. In summary, the introduction part’s defining features are a writer’s background and thesis statement. In turn, the former gives a hint about a writer, and the latter provides a target audience with insight into a author’s objective in writing a cultural identity essay.

Body Paragraphs

A body element of a cultural identity essay is the most significant section of a paper and takes the largest part. Generally, writers use several paragraphs to advance different arguments on their ethnic heritage to explain specific concepts (Karjalainen, 2020). In writing a cultural identity essay, authors can use different paragraphs to explain important aspects of their ethnic heritage. Nonetheless, what determines the number of paragraphs and the content of each is a paper topic (Greetham, 2023). Besides, the most prominent defining features of a essay’s body are paragraphs, with each advancing a unique concept about a writer’s ethnic heritage. In turn, paragraphs are where writers provide real-life experiences and other personal anecdotes or examples that help a target audience to develop a deeper understanding of authors from a cultural perspective.

A conclusion part is the last section of a cultural identity essay. In particular, writers restate a thesis statement and summarize main points from body paragraphs (Greetham, 2023). Moreover, authors provide concluding remarks about a topic, which is mostly an objective personal opinion. In summary, the conclusion part’s defining features are a restatement of a thesis, a summary of main points, and writer’s final thoughts about a topic.

Outline Template

I. Introduction

A. Hook statement/sentence. B. Background information. C. A thesis statement that covers main ideas from 1 to X in one sentence.

II. Body Paragraphs

A. Idea 1 B. Idea 2 … X. Idea X

III. Conclusion

A. Restating a thesis statement. B. Summary of the main points from A to X. C. Final thoughts.

An Example of a Cultural Identity Essay

Topic: Identifying as a Naturalist

Introduction Sample

The period of birth marks the beginning of one’s identity, with culture playing a significant role. However, from the stage of adolescence going forward, individuals begin to recognize and understand their cultural makeup. In my case, I have come to discover my love for nature, an aspect that I believe has made me a naturalist both in belief and action.

Examples of Body Paragraphs

Idea 1: Parents

Parents play a critical role in shaping a cultural and personal identity of their children. In my case, it is my mother who has instilled in me a love for nature. Although I may not say exactly when this love started, I can only reason that since it was ingrained in me since childhood, it has developed gradually.

Idea 2: Naturalism

Today, naturalism defines my interactions with people and the environment. In short, I can say it shapes my worldview. As a lover of nature herself, my mother had this habit of taking me outdoors when I was a toddler. I have seen family photographs of my mother walking through parks and forests holding my hand. What is noticeable in these pictures besides my mother and me is the tree cover that gives the setting such a lovely sight. Moreover, I can now understand why I seem more conversant with the names and species of flowers, trees, and birds than my siblings- my mother was the influence. In turn, my siblings and friends make a joke that I have developed a strong love for nature to the point of identifying myself with the environment. Hence, the basis for this argument is my love for the green color, where even my clothes and toys are mostly green.

Conclusion Sample

Naturally, human beings behave in line with their cultural background and orientation. Basically, this behavior is what determines or reflects their ethnic identity. In turn, my intense love for nature underscores my naturalist identity. While I may not tell the stage in life when I assumed this identity, I know my mother has played a significant role in shaping it, and this is since childhood.

What to Include

ElementContent
Ethnicity and NationalityExplore your ancestral background and national heritage, including traditions, customs, and cultural history.
Family TraditionsDiscuss some unique rituals, celebrations, and customs practiced by your family, as well as their significance.
LanguageDescribe particular languages you speak, dialects, regional languages, and how being multilingual affects your identity.
Religion and SpiritualityShare your religious beliefs, spiritual practices, and faiths and how they influence your daily life and ethnic heritage.
CuisineHighlight traditional dishes, cooking practices, and family recipes that hold a real social significance.
Music and ArtsWrite about traditional music, dance, cultural festivals, and artistic expressions that are part of your heritage.
Clothing and FashionDescribe your traditional dress code, its significance, and unique aspects, as well as how such a fashion influences your ethnic roots.
Social Norms and ValuesExplore cultural etiquette, community values, gender roles, and expectations within your ethnic context.
EducationReflect on how social influences shape educational choices, learning experiences, and some roles of bilingual or multicultural education.
Historical BackgroundProvide a particular context on important historical events, ethnic heritage sites, and figures that influenced your culture.
Personal ExperiencesShare personal examples, interactions with others from the same or different cultures, and moments of cultural pride or challenge.
Community and Social LifeDiscuss a specific role of your community in shaping your identity, including social gatherings, communal activities, and support systems.
Migration and AcculturationDescribe experiences of immigration, adaptation to new cultures, and balancing multiple ethnic identities.

Common Mistakes

  • Lack of Focus: Failing to narrow down an essay to specific aspects of cultural identity, leading to an unclear narrative.
  • Vague Thesis Statement: Providing a weak or unclear thesis statement, which makes it difficult for readers to understand an essay’s main argument.
  • Insufficient Personal Reflection: Neglecting to include personal examples and reflections, which are crucial for illustrating an actual impact of ethnic heritage.
  • Overgeneralization: Making broad and unsupported statements about specific groups rather than focusing on personal and specific experiences.
  • Ignoring Historical Context: Failing to provide historical or ethnic background that can help readers to understand a real significance of certain traditions or practices.
  • Poor Organization: Structuring an essay poorly, resulting in an illogical and difficult-to-follow narrative.
  • Lack of Depth: Addressing ethnic heritage without explaining how it shapes beliefs, values, and behaviors.
  • Cultural Stereotyping: Relying on stereotypes or clichĂ©s rather than presenting a personal perspective on ethnic roots.
  • Inadequate Conclusion: Providing a weak conclusion that does not effectively summarize main points or reflect on a real significance of a particular ethnic heritage.
  • Ignoring Feedback and Revision: Failing to seek feedback from others or revise a cultural identity essay, which can leave writing errors and unclear sections unaddressed.

Like any standard paper, writing a cultural identity essay allows students to build essential skills, such as critical thinking, reflective, and analytical skills. In this case, a real essence of such a paper is to provide a writer’s cultural identity, background, or orientation. As such, in order to learn how to write a good cultural identity essay, students should master following tips:

  • Decide where to focus. Culture is a broad topic, and deciding what to focus on is essential in producing such an essay. Basically, one may have several ethnic identities, and addressing all may lead to inconclusive explanations.
  • Reflect and brainstorm. Given a close link between one’s cultural orientation and personal experiences, learners need to reflect on experiences that would provide a target audience with an accurate picture of their ethnic heritage.
  • Adopt a “Show, not tell” approach by providing vivid details about one’s experiences. Using personal anecdotes may be effective in accomplishing this objective.
  • Use transitions , such as “therefore,” “thus,” ” additionally,” and “furthermore,” to enhance a natural and logical flow throughout an essay.
  • Stay personal by using first-person language to describe one’s background and experiences.
  • Proofread a final document to eliminate spelling and grammatical mistakes and other notable errors, such as an inconsistent life storyline.

Davies, S. R., Halpern, M., Horst, M., Kirby, D., & Lewenstein, B. (2019). Science stories as culture: Experience, identity, narrative and emotion in public communication of science. Journal of Science Communication , 18 (05), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.18050201

Greetham, B. (2023). How to write better essays . Bloomsbury Academic.

Heersmink, R. (2021). Materialised identities: Cultural identity, collective memory, and artifacts. Review of Philosophy and Psychology , 14 (1), 249–265. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13164-021-00570-5

Karjalainen, H. (2020). Cultural identity and its impact on today’s multicultural organizations. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management , 20 (2), 249–262. https://doi.org/10.1177/1470595820944207

Spelic, S. (2019). Care at the core conversational essays on identity, education and power . Tredition.

Wallace, K. (2021). Network self: Relation, process, and personal identity . Routlage.

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What It Takes to Write A Powerful Cultural Identity Essay And Express Yourself

Make the Most out of A Cultural Identity Essay Example

What One May Need A Cultural Identity Essay For

Knowing how to write a proper cultural identity essay may be beneficial even if you never get assigned this specific type of a paper. Since this is basically a personal essay , this may be a perfect topic to rely on when, say, submitting papers to a college or university. This will surely make an impression on the application committee and let you present yourself in a memorable way.

Perhaps, your teacher or a professor gave you a free choice on your next essay topic, then this is a great opportunity to explore your cultural identity while writing a paper. After all, you will be writing about yourself, and it’s possible to complete this task without carrying out any extensive research. Depending on the identifying factor you choose, it may be possible to start writing it right away.

However, before you go looking for a cultural identity essay example to write your own paper, we urge you to stick around and dedicate some time to learning some essential information that you will only benefit from. It would be a great mistake to assume that you can quickly write an essay about cultural identity without finding out more about.

You can also choose to order such an essay from our experienced writers and save your time on reading instructions and writing a paper . Otherwise, let’s start by making sure you understand what an identity essay is and what it is exactly you are required to write about.

What Is Cultural Identity? Do You Have It?

Understanding what cultural identity is should give you a clear idea of what exactly your topic for cultural identity essay should be. Basically, it’s feeling that you are a part of some group or several groups whose members are united by some factor and share the same culture. Despite what one might think, there are much more things that can be a basis for such a group than those that first come to mind like race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, or location. So, you might find writing an identity essay more interesting than you initially imagined.

The great thing is that there is no limit to the number of groups you can identify and come up with. The point is, it has to be something that you perceive as an indispensable part of who you are. Perhaps, you’re a sports fan or an active player yourself, maybe you’re into a specific genre of music, or there may be a fandom you cannot see yourself without. It can be just about anything, so before you get to the specifics of how to write an essay itself, a cultural analysis of yourself is necessary.

In case there are several major groups that instantly spring to your mind or, which is equally possible for some people, not a single one you can be related to, good old brainstorming should be the first step towards an essay on cultural distinctions. Spend some time dotting down the possible topics to figure out your own cultural identity that stands out the most. That way, you will make sure that you have a strong subject to write about, but also one that will be interesting to others and serve for a compelling essay about cultural identity.

Here is a list of some cultural suggestions that you could write about, use it to determine what’s relevant in your case. Remember, it’s in no way complete and could never be, but it should give you a sense of what your identity essay can be centered around.

  • Nationality
  • Political views
  • Religious beliefs
  • Artistic movement
  • Social class
  • Food preferences
  • Family history
  • Aesthetic taste

A Cultural Identity Essay Example of Structure

The size of an identity essay may vary, it can be the standard five paragraphs or more, so you should check the requirements you get for it. Nevertheless, its structure will be the same in all cases, and your paper should be organized in the same manner as pretty much any other essay. The only difference will be the content of these structural elements, and their proportions will depend on the required length of an essay. Unless this is your first essay ever, you will be familiar with these compositional elements, now just see what they should be about.

Introduction

It is crucial that you do not underestimate the importance of a culture essay introduction, which is usually confined to the first paragraph. This is where you state who you identify yourself as and what impact it had on your life. It should be kept pretty short and concise so that your reader does not lose interest before getting further. While you need to provide some major details about yourself and present the topic, do not try to reveal everything in this paragraph, there’s a whole essay ahead to do that.

A thesis statement isn’t a standalone element but is a part of the culture essay introduction, as you might already know. Typically, this is the last sentence in this paragraph, and it concludes the phase of making a reader familiar with the topic and the nature of the essay. Nevertheless, it’s not easily crafted and requires extra effort. What you write in your thesis statement sets up the tone of what comes later. In the case of this type of essay, the usual way about it would be to state what influence your cultural identity had on your life, what it taught you, or, perhaps, how you came to accept it and what that meant for you. Find and check a cultural identity essay example if you are not sure how a thesis should look like and how it should play out into the rest of an essay.

This is the lengthiest part of your essay, and the number of body paragraphs will depend on the general requirements. In any case, use this space to continue the trail of thought you presented in your thesis statement. Elaborate on it and provide examples to show the connection between your cultural identity and the effect it had on your life. If it’s a short essay on culture that you identify with, you may only have one or two paragraphs to present your analysis. Most likely, you will need to perform no additional research or fact-checking as you will be writing about yourself, but that is no reason to relax. Your essay must still be cohesive, engrossing, and without ever losing focus.

This is once again an essay part that is usually no longer than a paragraph or two, and it’s meant to recap all the main arguments and sum up the results in a brief manner. No new information should be brought out here other than the conclusion of what you set up in your introduction and explored over the course of the body paragraphs.

Make sure to restate your thesis statement that informed about culture of the group that you consider an integral part of your existence before providing the conclusions. That way, you will finally make your essay complete. However, the work on it is still not over, so don’t go writing it just yet even if you have a great cultural identity essay example to look at.

Valuable Insights on How to Write Cultural Identity Essay

Now, following the structure is important, but that is far from only actions that will satisfy you a high grade or positive reception. As they say, there is no limit to perfection, but that doesn’t mean you should stop trying. The following suggestions will make the process of writing your essay on cultural identity smoother and improve the end result overall.

First of all, just a reminder, don’t hurry with fixating on the particular cultural identity after discovering some of the major influences you’ve had. It’s best not to skip the brainstorming stage so that you have the best topic and one that resonates with you the most.

Most often, an essay about cultural identity will deal with your own experience, so make sure to think of the best stories and examples from your life to illustrate the case. Your passion when talking about these instances of the cultural awakening is most likely to show on paper, but don’t get too carried away. Stay to the point and only provide those details which are relevant to the topic and thesis statement.

Although no additional research and citations are necessary when it’s your own cultural identity essay, it will be a great plus if you do include those in your paper. So, rather than carrying out extensive research, look for some articles or quotes of some famous people, for example, who have a say on the cultural identity you are writing about. Perhaps, you may want to get back and revisit someone’s words, some written piece, or a film that made you realize the cultural influences on your life.

Finally, do not just run your essay about cultural identity through a grammar checker  and submit it. Proofreading should never be dismissed if you do not want to sabotage all the work leading up to it. There are things no program or app can catch, but the professor or an application committee member will. You may notice, for example, that some paragraphs or sentences lack proper linking between them. Missing or repeating words will also hurt the overall impression. So, plan everything to have enough time to read it again with a clear mind. Maybe even let someone else read it as we often keep overlooking our own mistakes, but they will be instantly spotted by another person.

One More Solution for Your Cultural Identity Paper

A cultural identity essay may not be the toughest assignment you’ve ever had, but there can still be enough reasons preventing you from doing a good job. One of the most common and trivial explanations is the lack of time for whatever reason. And sometimes, you just can’t set your mind to writing that essay, another perfectly understandable situation, not by your professor, though. The rules are the same for everyone, and you are expected to hand in that essay as expected.

Well, you could find a cultural identity essay example and rewrite it, adding some personal details to make it about you, but that may prove to be even more work without guaranteed results. Instead, you could just order a custom-written essay from our service and solve that issue in a matter of minutes. Just provide the available essay requirements, tell us the topic, and a couple of sentences if you want that identity essay to be really about you. Our expert writer will do the rest and shape it into a great paper for you, so consider this offer and do what you must.

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Cultural Identity Essay Examples

Cultural Identity - Free Essay Examples And Topic Ideas

Scholars, writers and analysts have recently discussed a phenomenon known as globalization. This phenomenon has dominated literature for several years and is defined as the process of interaction and integration among people, companies, and governments worldwide. Most scholars however have focused on the economic and political dimensions of globalization and have neglected its most crucial dimension: culture. Culture can be defined as a social behaviour between different groups, reflecting the actions of their ancestors. Through globalization, world powers have utilized culture as a tool to project power and dominance.

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What Is Culture Identity Essay and How Do You Write One?

Culture identity essay is a form of writing that explains the author’s cultural background. The essay can be written as a personal narrative or opinion piece, but it will always focus on the author’s experiences growing up. It may also include information on how they grew up and what their upbringing was like, as well as how they’ve changed since their childhood. This is an important essay because it helps the reader understand who the author is and what influenced them to become who they are today.

Definitions of Cultural Identity

Cultural Identity: The sense of self-identity that a person or group has based on their cultural heritage, which can include language, ethnicity, nationality and/or religion.

Cultural Hybridization: The mixing of different cultures that can result in new cultural forms.

Ethnicity: The sense of belonging to a particular ethnic group, rooted in common language, ancestry and/or culture

essay titles about cultural identity

What is cultural identity?

Types of Cultural Identity

Cultural identity is a term that describes the social, cultural, and economic characteristics of a group or community. It refers to an individual or group’s sense of self-awareness and belonging to a particular culture. This can be based on ethnic, religious, racial, linguistic, or other cultural factors. Cultural identities are often formed by the interaction between groups in society and their environments. There are many types of cultural identity, including:

  • Ethnicity – People who share a common heritage may identify with each other based on their shared history and/or language. Ethnic groups have been defined by physical characteristics such as skin color or facial features (e.g., Eskimos) or by social conventions such as having similar customs and beliefs (e.g., Jews).
  • Religion – Religions often have distinctive practices and rituals that help members feel part of a larger community while also encouraging them to follow certain codes of conduct within that community. Religious identity can encourage people to participate in certain behaviors that they may not otherwise engage in (e.g., fasting during Ramadan).
  • Language – A person’s first language serves as an important identifier because it helps them communicate with others around them who speak the same language fluently

essay titles about cultural identity

Cultural Identity Essay Structure

Introduction.

-Introduction to essay and thesis statement.

-Discuss what cultural identity is, why it’s important, and how the author will define it in this essay.

-A statement of the argument that you will make in your essay.

Body paragraphs:

-A point made about cultural identity (1) with support (2).

Conclusion:

-Restate thesis statement and discuss how this knowledge is relevant to my life, society, or culture.

Tips on How to Write a Perfect Cultural Identity Essay

Writing a perfect cultural identity essay is not an easy task. There are so many things that you need to consider before writing the essay. However, with the right approach and proper planning, writing a perfect cultural identity essay can be made easier for you. Here are some of the tips that will help you write a perfect cultural identity essay.

  • Do some research about your topic before starting to write your essay. This will help you understand what exactly should be included in your essay and how it should be written in order for it to be considered as a perfect one by your professor or teacher.
  • Identify who your audience is and what purpose does their opinion matter? If it’s just for fun, then go ahead with whatever comes to mind first but if there is something more significant, then make sure that you have done enough research so that nothing goes wrong at the end of it all!
  • Have a clear goal in mind before starting to write anything down; this way, everything will come together neatly at the end of it all!

essay titles about cultural identity

Cultural Identification in the U.S.

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  • What does cultural identity mean?

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Cultural Identity Essays (Examples)

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Cultural Identity Development

Kardiner, A., & Ovesey, L. (1951). The mark of oppression. New York: Norton.

Sociology Law And Identity

Quality of the cross cultural experience, education law policy and social justice.

Sahin, I. (2018). A look at mother tongue education in the context of the right to education. Educational Research and Reviews, 13(9), 343-353.

The Influence Of International Jewry In The Founding Of Israel

Field experience report observation in the deaf classroom.

Van Gent, T., Goedhart, A. W., Knoors, H. E., Westenberg, P. M., & Treffers, P. D. (2012). Self-concept and ego development in deaf adolescents: a comparative study. Journal of deaf studies and deaf education, 17(3), 333-351.

Army Organization Analysis Equal Opportunity Program

Culture analysis at a software company, diversity in the workplace, comparing haiti jamaica and puerto rico.

Stinchcombe, Arthur. “Race as a Social Boundary: Free Colored versus Slaves and Blacks,” from Sugar Island Slavery in the Age of Enlightenment, Princeton University Press, pp. 159-172.

Related Topics

  • Cultural Pluralism
  • Cultural Competency
  • Cultural Background
  • Ethnic Identity
  • American Identity

Category Topics

  • Fire Safety
  • Leadership Styles
  • Exceptional Children
  • Managed Care

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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Cultural Identity — My Cultural Identity: Who I Am

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My Cultural Identity: Who I Am

  • Categories: American Identity Cultural Identity

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Words: 1059 |

Published: Jan 28, 2021

Words: 1059 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

Table of contents

Defining my identity, cultural patterns, dimensions of culture, cultural bias.

  • What do Americans value? | Information for refugees and immigrants. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://therefugeecenter.org/resources/american-values/

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essay titles about cultural identity

Cultural Identity Essays

Cultural background paper, influence of popular culture on cultural identity, critical analysis of dagoberto gilb’s love in l.a story, significance of ethnicity in shaping student’s experience in schools, what is culture, and why is it significant in the world around us, ethnicity and mexicano/ethnicity, study on min jin lee., eating guinea pigs, divergent paths of beneatha’s love: unveiling themes through george murchison and joseph asagai in a raisin in the sun, racial passing and the politics of performance in bamboozled and erasure, johannes r. becher: architect of east german cultural identity and political ideals, exploring cultural identity: narratives of resilience in black voices, what is my culture, cultural identity, historical and contemporary factors which have shaped the culture., cultural identity: lgbtq+ community, essays about cultural identity.

If you’re looking for an essay topic, cultural identity is a good one to consider. On the one hand, culture refers to all the values, beliefs, behaviors, and rules that a specific group of people find to be acceptable. On the other hand, identity is knowing what’s true and acceptable for you.

As social animals, we form a cultural identity through the subconscious interpretation and incorporation of signals from our environment into our personal identity so we can fit in. That’s why one’s cultural identity is an important part of one’s personal identity.

Cultural identity is quite a relevant topic not just because it’s important to understand this part of ourselves, but also because, due to globalization and immigration, we’re constantly being exposed to people with different cultural identities.

When it comes to writing an essay about cultural identity, there are many different ways you can approach the subject. That’s why the first step is to choose a focus. The more passionate you feel about it, the better your essay will turn out. So, make sure to find an angle that you feel strongly about to discuss cultural identity.

Now, there are many different aspects of cultural identity you can discuss in your essay. For example, you can focus on gender, ethnicity, language, or religion. Just ask yourself, “what aspect of cultural identity has affected me the most?” Answer honestly and you will find a focus for your essay.

Once you’ve chosen a focus, you should make an outline. Why? Because it will help you find direction and stick to it. Your essay can’t be all over the place, it needs to have structure; a beginning, a middle, and an end. Your ideas can get out of hand very quickly, so you need an outline to make your essay as valuable and engaging as possible.

We also recommend you leverage your own experience. You have a cultural identity, so you can use vivid personal examples to describe things for the reader and make your arguments more compelling. Leveraging personal experiences will help you add something new to the conversation.

If you are working on an outline for an argumentative essay or persuasive essay, or need ideas for an essay on police brutality, thesis, or research paper on police brutality, you can use examples from this page to help you complete your piece like a pro!

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Essay on Cultural Identity

Students are often asked to write an essay on Cultural Identity in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look


100 Words Essay on Cultural Identity

Understanding cultural identity.

Cultural identity is the feeling of being part of a group or culture. It can be influenced by many things like race, religion, and location. It’s like a shared bond that connects people together. This bond can shape how we see the world and how we behave.

The Importance of Cultural Identity

Cultural identity is important because it gives us a sense of belonging. It helps us understand our history and traditions. This understanding can make us feel more secure and confident. It’s like a roadmap that guides us through life.

How Cultural Identity is Formed

Cultural identity is formed by many things. Our family, friends, and the community we live in can all play a part. Things like the food we eat, the holidays we celebrate, and the language we speak can all shape our cultural identity.

Cultural Identity and Diversity

Cultural identity is a key part of diversity. Different cultures bring different ideas and perspectives. This diversity can make our world more interesting and vibrant. It’s like a colorful tapestry, with each thread adding to the overall picture.

Preserving Cultural Identity

250 words essay on cultural identity, what is cultural identity.

Cultural identity is a feeling of belonging to a group. It is part of a person’s self-perception and is related to nationality, ethnicity, religion, social class, generation, locality or any kind of social group that has its own distinct culture. In this way, cultural identity is both characteristic of the individual but also of the culturally identical group of members sharing the same cultural identity.

Cultural identity is important because it acts as a way to preserve history and provides individuals a place where they feel they belong. It is a way of looking at your own culture through your own lens and not someone else’s. This sense of belonging can be seen in many different ways, like how we dress, the language we speak, or the traditions we keep.

How is Cultural Identity Formed?

Cultural identity is formed by many factors, including our families, where we grew up, and our personal experiences. These factors shape our views, values, and beliefs. For example, if you grew up in a big city, you might have different cultural identities than someone who grew up in a small town.

Respecting Cultural Identity

A key part of cultural identity is respect. It’s important to respect other people’s cultural identities, even if they’re different from our own. This means listening to others, learning about their culture, and not making fun of or judging them based on their culture. In turn, this helps create a more understanding and accepting world.

In conclusion, cultural identity is a significant part of who we are. It shapes our experiences, influences our values, and gives us a sense of belonging. By understanding and respecting each other’s cultural identities, we can create a more accepting and diverse world.

500 Words Essay on Cultural Identity

Cultural identity is very important. It gives us a sense of belonging. It helps us understand where we come from and gives us a sense of pride in our heritage. It also helps us understand others better. When we understand our own cultural identity, we can respect and appreciate the cultural identities of others. This can lead to better relationships and a more peaceful world.

Cultural identity is formed by many things. Our family and community play a big role. They teach us our traditions and customs. They pass on their beliefs and values. Our experiences also shape our cultural identity. The things we see, hear, and do can change the way we see ourselves and the world.

Cultural Identity and Change

Respecting cultural identity is very important. It means treating everyone with kindness and fairness, no matter their culture. It means learning about different cultures and appreciating their unique traditions and customs. It means not making fun of or hurting others because of their culture. When we respect cultural identity, we make the world a better place.

In conclusion, cultural identity is a big part of who we are. It is shaped by our family, community, and experiences. It can change over time, and it should be respected. Understanding and appreciating cultural identity can lead to a more peaceful and fair world. So, let’s celebrate our cultural identities and learn from each other. After all, our differences make us unique, and that’s something to be proud of.

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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Home / Essay Samples / Sociology / Identity / Cultural Identity

Cultural Identity Essay Examples

Culture and identity of nepal.

Nepal, a land nestled in the Himalayas, is a mosaic of diverse cultures and identities that have flourished over centuries. This essay delves into the rich tapestry of Nepali culture and its profound impact on shaping the collective identity of its people, exploring the unique...

What Can I Say to Describe Philippines

The Philippines is a very beautiful country, an archipelago with a total of more than 7,000 islands. In the describe Philippines essay I am going to answer some questions about this country, its culture, history and more. Yes, I agree with the differentiation between the...

Philippines: a Nation Beyond Its Beautiful Islands

Because of the Philippines archipelago, it means that the Philippines are very diverse culturally. Another reason why they are so diverse is how far the spread vertically. From base to tip, they span almost two thousand kilometres. Here is a philippines essay - the overview...

The Beauty of Philippine Popular Culture

Most of the Filipinos almost forgotten the importance and the beauty of Philippine Culture and Values. It’s because of Globalization, environmental pressure, new technologies, development projects, armed conflict and more. And also its results from deliberate efforts that influence values, changes of law or government...

Immigration and Hispanic Culture

What is immigration? Immigration is most commonly known as the action of moving to a foreign country to find permanent residency. Oftentimes, many of the people immigrating to different foreign countries are trying to find better jobs, better homes, better education, and overall better life...

What Does Being Hispanic Mean to Me: a Source of Pride

Growing up in a Hispanic family I was always thought to respect and love the difference of people no matter their ethnicity or gender. Someone asked me what does being Hispanic mean to you? In the essay I will give the answer and I will...

Cultural Patrimony: Why It's Important to Learn About Other Cultures

Throughout our lifetime, we each come across people with different cultures, but why is it important to learn about other cultures? In “Why is it important to learn about other cultures” essay the answer is given. Learning about culture gives us a better understand of...

How Does Culture Shape Our Identity: 'The Paper Menagerie'

Nelson Mandela once said, 'If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.' This couldn’t have been more accurate in Ken Liu’s fascinating anthology 'The...

Living in a Filipino Culture: Reflection on Personal Experience

As an individual, my cultural background has played an important role in shaping my identity and perspective on the world. My family hails from a small town in the Philippines, and growing up, I was immersed in the traditions and values of Filipino culture, so...

Cultural Competence Evaluation: Understanding Cultural Sensitivity

It has become increasingly apparent, through our expanding global community, that communication and culture are intrinsically linked. As a result, it has become fundamental that we nurture the competence to engage with people across cultures different from our own. Developing cultural intelligence, however, is not...

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About Cultural Identity

Cultural identity refers to identification with, or sense of belonging to, a particular group based on various cultural categories, including nationality, ethnicity, race, gender, and religion.

Main components that make up a person's cultural identity: are cultural knowledge, category label, and social connections.

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