In the 20th century, People from different places migrate to different countries,

seeking a better life and destiny for themselves and their children. In the settlement
country the immigrants and the minority groups in theory lost their cultural identity
or felt that it was about to disappear. It represents multiculturalism as the main
cause for the identity crises. At the same time the ambiguity of roots and history
can be another cause in constructing identity crisis as well, because one’s past is
unclear and complicated. When people identify themselves and when they know
who they are or what they are, this can also show the similarities and differences
between people’s identity. People have similarities with their ethnic groups, at the
same time they are different because they have joined other groups or adapted to
the dominant culture of a society. That’s to say one needs to mention both
similarities and differences in his/her identity. But in recent years, people (the
second generation of immigrants) seem to be more different and they escape from
the similarities that bound them to their ethnic groups.

The most important point is that identity is something that cannot be constructed
by will or be planned, because identity is something that is changeable based on
time and space. Identity cannot be stopped from renewing, and one cannot predict
a ‘’future identity’’. When people do not feel comfortable with their cultural
identity, they will try to change it and to create another identity that they want to be
identified by.

Thus, people may try to change their cultural identity but it would be difficult
because roots cannot be denied. Roots and history are inescapable or continuing
and recurrent concerns in human life. Overall, people can affect (not construct)
identity but they cannot affect and choose their roots and history.

Due to the big influence of multiculturalism and globalization on the immigrants,

their cultural identity may have been changed or mixed with the dominant culture.
We can think of racism and class discrimination as one of the reasons that make
immigrants think of changes and practicing what the foreigner people practice.

To conclude, according to the theories, identity can go along with every stage of
life, and is not a stable concept. One is able to renew and affect one’s identity with
new interests, places and relationships. This shows the flexibility of identity,
especially for the second generation of immigrants. The second generations of
immigrants are forced to practice and to have the same identity and roots as their
parents which they cannot accept and attempt to escape from. Although
multiculturalism and globalization affect individuals’ identities roots and history,
they will still play their role even in the individuals’ new identities.