The article intends to examine and discuss critically a contemporary paradox: as the current globalization process intensify, the manifestation of cultural identities instead of disappearing tends to be multiplied. The theme is still controversial in the social sciences concerning the facts observed and the interpretation of meanings. The article tries to contribute for the analysis departing from investigations related to identity processes within the current urban enviromnent or related themes. With the support of the discussed cases, the article presents some sistematic theoretical proposals concerning different modalities of constitution and enunciation of urban cultural identities in the globalization context and, more generally, concerning the social dynamics of cultural identity.
Cultural Identities; Urbanity; Globalization; Essentialism; Politics of identities