What's in a Name?

"There is more force in names then most men dream of" James Russell Lowell(1)

Your personal name or christian name is bound to your identity and sense of self. Your name also carries with it complicated social implications as well(2).
When you are recognized and acknowledged by your name your human dignity and uniqueness are recognized(3). This recognition is a central part of your sense of self and the meaningfulness of your life(4).
However when there is conflict between people whether through war or prejudice or bullying the use of derogatory names for the 'other' is included as part of the initial stages of the conflict(5). The derogatory names that are used also carry with them social implications that are recognised by others in the community and they can be used to deprive the person of their humanity and individuality.
These derogatory names designate so-called negative characteristics of the person in order to emphasise difference from the 'in-group'. Difference is at the centre of bullying(6) and name calling can extend to the persons nationality, appearance, family and friends(7).

In the year 2000 6 young women, possibly more, were raped in western Sydney. These women were called "Aussie pigs" and "sluts"(8) while they were being raped. Why? Because by calling them by these derogatory names they could be thought of as objects or things and not as human beings. This "is based on the idea that it is acceptable to project whatever hatred you might be feeling on to the bodies of women"(9).
Others who were there but not involved in the rapes were encouraged to abuse the women as well in order to make them accomplices(10).


(1)Mullen B, Calogero R & Leader T 2007 A Social psychological study of ethnonyms: cognitive representation of the in-group and intergroup hostility Journal of Personality and Social Psychology vol.92 no.4 pp.612
(2)Thompson R 2006 Bilingual, bicultural and binominal identities:personal name investment and the imagination in the lives of Korean Americans Journal of Language, Identity and Education vol.5 no.3 pp.180
(3)Crisp J & Taylor C 2005 Potter & Perry's Fundamentals of Nursing 2nd ed. Elsevier Marrickville pp428
(4)Wong J 2002 What's in a name? An examination of social identities Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour vol.32 no,4 pp.453
(5)Hamarus P & Kaikkonen P 2008 School bullying as a creator of pupil peer pressure Educational Research vol. 50 no.4 pp.334
(6)ibid:pp.336
(7)ibid:pp.337

The article above on school bullying is a good article to read, for those interested, to understand the concepts and practices that create the cultures that enable bullying behaviour to develop and continue . It does not contain alot of information about dealing with the behaviours or the culture once it is formed but there is a list of references at the end of the article that you could find useful.
If you go into the following site and type the name of the article into the place to search you should be able to read the article. http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/home~db=all


(8)Bone, Pamela 2002 'Rape:the debate we have to have' The Age Melbourne, Australia. Wednesday July 24th 2002 http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/07/23/1027332376292.html
(9)ibid: This is a direct quote from the above article
(10)Donnelly, Marea 2001 'Our society is so easy on rape that it's a crime' The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia Tuesday June 19th 2001http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznettwo@green.net.au/msg00528.html