In the third chapter of her book, Karen Strassler discusses the role of the identification photograph and how this impacted Java and its culture and history. Not only did the governments obsession with identification cards cause an expansion in the photography realm, but they also impacted the local communities and created a new form of history whereby people could use the photos in family rituals and to have a closer connection to the past. “But as these projects were generalised and normalised, I argue, the identity photograph became a widespread idiomatic shorthand for citizenship or legitimate belonging in the state-authorised national community.” Here, the author is showing that as this process became normalized throughout the culture, a new historical narrative was being created and the concept of identity was now largely embraced and maintaining through photographic evidence.
While reading this, I was reminded of the lecture our class attended by Professor Lyon Barco on “Capturing the Sacred: American Photography and Mexican Farmworkers”. His lecture showed how the use of photography was able to depict how life was for many people, but also the ways in which photographs can display a certain image that the photography wanted his audience to see. Strassler’s book linked to this notion of heritage and historical narrative by emphasising the important role of visual history and how this sense allows us to have a personal attachment to a photograph and how we perceive it. Reflecting on these experiences, I began to think of my own interactions with identification cards. I am not an American citizen, but on a daily basis if I am asked to show some from of identification, I will always present my American driving license over my British one. Both are just as valid as the other, but I have assumed a new identity by coming over to this country, and I almost feel more comfortable presenting the American license over the British as I am less likely to be questioned about it and have to reveal personal information. I had personally never even thought about why I value the American one over the British, but now i can see that each identification card holds a different identity, made up of different experiences and interactions with people. It is interesting to see the relationship between my identity, and a government mandated form of identification, as before I had never thought about how the cultural influences of my daily and personal life could shape the ways I think about and use photography.