Differences and inequalities highlight the making and remaking of society and social lives. Continuity and changes are susceptible to connections and disconnections via competition for resources, opportunities and socio-economic position resulting from some groups having more prominent roles that favour the interests of one group than others. These shapes identities and perceptions for individuals, that have positive or negative value.
Time differences reflect socio-economic changes. In Connecting lives (The Open University,2014a) Mark and Nof make new connections in light of socio-economic change. They reinvent themselves and made connections to new clients by becoming an industrial designer and restaurant owner; respectively.
Social identities are differences that pinpoint the sense of self, emerging from early experiences and forms basis of interactions, affecting social context and cultural norms. It is malleable, multiple and complex. However, certain aspects of identity are determined at birth, such as sex and physical appearances. Others such as faith and class are inherited or adopted from family or culture. Faith, nationality and gender can be actively reassigned later in life, depending on personal circumstances or preferences. For example, In Connecting Lives (The Open University, 2014a)
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Identities have legal basis too, such as nationality or immigration status. For example, In Connecting Lives (The Open University, 2014a) Nof and Bushra show how the process of migration disrupts existing connections as people move from one place to another. Both were employed as an engineer and microbiologist; respectively. Bushra misses her family connections and is finding it hard to establish new connections through employment, though Nof establishes new connections by forging, prior identity and refocuses on a new