Abstract
"A subject position is a hard place, we cannot read it ourselves; we are given over to others even as we make inevitable public attempts to read our subject position" (Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak). Discussion of the complexities of Spivak's notion of the subject in the context of race and/ class and/or gender and/or sexuality and/or nationality is relevant. The question "who am I?" seems to be of important concern for individuals. They need to understand who they are, and know what their identity is. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, "identity" comes from "idem" (meaning "the same"). It comprises two basic meanings: a concept of absolute sameness and a concept of distinctiveness. Similarly, identity allows us to situate ourselves in the world in which we live. It allows us to find our position in the society, which gives us the landmarks we need to get ahead. The subject's identity could be defined as the whole of its characteristics. It is different from its personality and its roles, and can include elements such as nationality, race, class, gender, sexuality, and so on.
