Language & Identity: Defining Self, Defining Others

Language doesn’t just describe the world — it shapes who we are in it. In this six-part series, we explore how the way we speak, write, and name ourselves becomes a map of identity. From the accents that mark us as insiders or outsiders, to the pronouns and labels we choose (or have chosen for us), this program asks: How does language define the self — and how does it define others? Designed for cross-cultural professionals, educators, multilingual creatives, and anyone navigating hybrid identities, Language & Identity invites deep reflection on how voice, vocabulary, and context create — or constrain — belonging. 🎥 Program Modules: You Sound Like... How accents, tone, and register trigger instant judgments across cultures — and what that reveals about social status and belonging. Naming the Self From name order to pronouns to job titles, we explore how language encodes power, formality, and identity. The Other Tongue Code-switching, translation, and the layered self: what it means to live — and shift — between multiple languages. Words That Divide How media, institutions, and everyday phrases reinforce “us” vs “them” — and how to listen beyond the frame. Who Gets to Be From Here? The politics of linguistic belonging: accent bias, mother tongue expectations, and the subtle gatekeeping of voice. Reclaiming Voice From slurs to slang to self-naming: how communities and individuals reshape language as a tool of resistance and power.