This study examined how 5-to 8-year old children perceive local, national and cultural dimensions of their own identity. Particularly, it addressed the following questions: (1) To what extent do young children feel that they belong to particular collective identities? (2) How do young children perceive local, national and cultural dimensions of their own identity? (3) How do young children’s perceptions of local, national and cultural dimensions of their own identity vary with age, gender and ethnicity? (4) What are the primary sources of young children’s information about the local, national and cultural dimensions of their own identity? Specific issues covered in this research inluded: children’s perceptions of self, others, differences among people, family, neighborhood, location, nation and culture (language, , traditions, customs, food, things to do, special days, celebrations, etc.).

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) affirms that every child has the right to a legal identity. A child’s name and nationality are established at birth as their formal legal identity, while their unique personal and social identity develop throughout their life course. Developing personal and social identity is a dynamic process embedded in the child’s multiple activities and relationships in everyday settings at home, at school and in the community. It is constructed, co-constructed and reconstructed by children through their interaction with their social environment—family members, peers, and significant others (Brooker and Woodhead, 2008). In today’s world, many children spend significant period of the early years of their life in a place, nation or culture outside of their parents’ nation(s) or culture(s). They grow up with different experiences from those who live in primarily in one place or culture. The number of those children are not few. Moreover, more an more countries have become more diverse, in terms of ethnicity and culture. Thus, in recent years, our understanding of the concept of ‘identity’ has changed. Traditional assumptons of what it means to belong a praticular identity are constantly challenged by those whose identities have been formed among many cultural worlds (Pollock and Van Reken, 2009). The increasing recognition that negotiate multiple, shifting and sometimes competing identities, especially within complex, multi-ethnic and multicultural contexts (Brooker and Woodhead, 2008) was the motivation source for this study.

It has also been recognised that a person’s self identification begins to take root in early years of life. Understanding of how young children perceive local, national and cultural dimensions of their own identity are crucial as if left till later too many ill-conceived perceptions and misunderstandings may be difficult to dislodge.

Brooker, L. & Woodhead, M. (Eds.) (2008). Developing positive ıdentities: Diversity and young children. Early childhood in focus (3). Milton Keynes, UK: Open University. Pollock, D. C. & Van Reken, R. (2009). Third culture kids. Growing up among worlds. Boston: Nicholas Breadley Publishing. Strauss, A. L., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. United Nations (1989). Convention on the rights of the child. UN General Assembly Document A/RES/44/2. New York, NY: United Nations.