For some Marxists, issues of culture, identity and representation are secondary. In this research note, I analytically reflect on Stuart Hall’s (1996) canonical essay “Cultural Identity and Diaspora,” which stresses that these are significant concerns for anyone struggling for liberation. In his essay, Hall explicates two definitions of "cultural identity." The first is an essentialist identity, which emphasizes the similarities amongst a group of people. Hall argues that this definition can and does inspire feminist, anti-colonial and anti-racist art and activism, but cannot help us comprehend the trauma of colonialism. The second definition emphasizes the similarities and the differences amongst an imagined cultural group. Hall asserts that this definition is useful for understanding the trauma of colonialism because it emphasizes the historical and social contingency of identity. By using this definition in our analysis of power and normalization, we are better able to scrutinize historical and contemporary colonial relations and to struggle against them.

对于一些马克思主义者来说，文化、身份和代表问题是次要的。在这篇研究笔记中，我对斯图尔特-霍尔（1996年）的经典文章《文化认同与散居》进行了分析反思，他强调这些是任何为解放而斗争的人所关心的重要问题。在他的文章中，霍尔阐述了 "文化身份 "的两个定义。第一个是本质主义的身份，它强调一群人之间的相似性。霍尔认为，这种定义可以也确实激发了女权主义、反殖民主义和反种族主义的艺术和行动主义，但不能帮助我们理解殖民主义的创伤。第二个定义强调了一个想象中的文化群体之间的相似性和差异。霍尔断言，这个定义对于理解殖民主义的创伤是有用的，因为它强调了身份的历史和社会的偶然性。通过在我们对权力和正常化的分析中使用这个定义，我们能够更好地审视历史和当代的殖民关系并与之斗争。