groups. As a result of this, their search for identity or a possible identity crisis can vary in intensity from
that in which their Dutch peers may find themselves.
Identity: a complex concept
Identity is the answer to the question, “who am I?” Identity is dynamic, constantly susceptible to change
and different for each individual. Identity is determined by variables both within and outside oneself.
Identity is active in an area of tension created by a need for continuity, conformity, unicity and distinction
(Hijmans, 2000). According to Larson (1995), a child has a stable idea of who he or she is, based on
parental and social attribution. However, this changes during adolescence: the development of a more
abstract intellectual capacity and the need to be independent of parents and family as an individual lead to
a critical view of and doubts about the attributed self. The result of this analysis and doubt is the
deconstruction of the self (Boyes & Chandler, 1992; Erikson, 1968) and consequently the need for a
reconstruction; the beginning of the development of a personal identity. In the search for a certain and
authentic identity, young people make use of various media. An important reason for this is that media
make it possible to identify with other like-minded individuals (Larson, 1995).
In addition to the construction and perception of a so-called self-identity, consideration is also given in this
study to the experience of young people with their collective shared identities such as national, ethnic,
cultural and religious identity and the role of (new) media in their construction and perception of identity.
The study is intended to ascertain amongst minority youth the extent to which media content (including
Internet content) can fulfill a need to fuel each of these collective identities. We will deal with each of
these components in detail below.
Following Heidt (1987), we define the concept of national identity as essentially “one’s place of
belonging” and “one’s sense of belonging”. The first relates to one’s immutable origins or place of
residence, while the second refers to a changeable feeling of belonging in a certain nation. Ethnic identity
refers to belonging to a group – big or small, socially dominant or inferior – with which one feels an
ancestral bond. Some form of group solidarity must exist, which can be supported by shared objective
characteristics such as language or by more subjective contributions such as a “sense of belonging” or by a
combination of both (Edwards, 1985). Ethnic identity refers to feelings of belonging and continuity as a
result of acceptance – by oneself or others – into a group of people who claim to share their origins and
cultural traditions. Cultural identity defines culture as a source of belonging and continuity, an
intersubjective system of symbols that offers a framework for interpreting daily social reality and
providing it with meaning. With help from this framework, an individual can orient him or herself towards
themselves, others, the material world and the supernatural (Roossens, 1992). The reference to the
supernatural thus leads us to religious identity. Religious identity refers to the measure of active religious
experience, expressed here in observing times of prayer during the day – in the mosque or otherwise -
reading the Koran and actively participating in religious activities such as Ramadan, the Feast of Id al-Fitr
and the Feast of the Sacrifice.
Convention