The Problematic of Cultural Identity: Relativity vs. Universalism? Or Reconciliation?

The debates on culture and identity constitute an important agenda in terms of globalization. The focus of the debate is the impact of the dilemma between cultural relativism and universalism on cultural identities. On one hand, with the policies of globalization, it is aimed to prepare the environment for different identities to gain importance, and on the other hand, it is aimed to create a global identity politics through local identities. With this approach, globalization contradicts itself while promoting cultural differences and unpredictably emphasizing universal cultural values. In this way, cultural identities are considered as an important problem of today’s social understanding. However, when the results of globalization are considered together, this dilemma necessitates a relationship and commitment. Because, by its very nature, the globalization process allows neither the destruction of the nation-identity structure nor the completion of the evolution of local identities. However, in the coming future, the absence of a common consensus between the two approaches and the proliferation of contradictions between them can complicate the so-called chaotic situation between relativism and universalism. The result of this is that the cultural identities that are already problematic may become even more problematic. The aim of this study is to discuss the notions of identity and, in particular, the concept of cultural identity in terms of relativity and universalism as an important research question