Ethnicity An Introduction

Ethnicity, Race and Nationality Ethnicity: one’s identity based on cultural traits, such as language, religion, food, clothing, family structure, values, traditions. Race: one’s identity based on one’s physical characteristics. Nationality: one’s identity based on the country that one is from.

Ethnicity in the World Today About 5,000 ethnic groups. Race is a classification system that has no scientific basis - - it’s a social construct only. There are 190 countries in the world today.

Ethnic Identity and Geography Where we are from: One’s ethnic identity is always tied to a place of origin: our home, where our grandfather’s grave is, where we built our temple, where our history lies, where our national hero brought us during the time of the famine, where we fought and died.

Ethnic Identity and Geography, 2 Where we live now: Ethnic identity often comes into being after contact with new people, or migration to a new place.

Perception of Ethnicity Self identity: tends to be specific and based on an intimate knowledge of place and history: Kerryman rather than Irish; Puerto Rican rather than Hispanic Identity by others: tends to be broad and based on lack of knowledge or interest in the specifics of where people are from: Irish; African; Middle Eastern; Native American

Ethnic Identity can be Fluid Any cultural trait, no matter how superficial, can be a basis for ethnic identity. A charismatic leader or outside influence can cause a group to see themselves as an ethnic group. A person can discover their roots and become re-identified with ethnic heritage.

Ethnicity, Acculturation and Assimilation Acculturation and assimilation are processes that affect both the host society and the immigrant group.

Acculturation and Assimilation, 2 Acculturation and assimilation occur most smoothly and most thoroughly when they happen voluntarily and over a relatively short period of time. When a group is forced to accept a new language or a new religion, assimilation is not complete. When the process takes a long time, conflict can occur.

Ethnic Enclaves Involuntary: When a group is segregated by law and by force and not allowed to participate in the broader society: ghetto, reservation, homeland.

Ethnic Enclaves, con’t. Voluntary: When a group chooses to maintain traditional culture within a host society, and only reluctantly and minimally acculturates to the broader social structure.

Ethnic Enclaves in the Balkans There is uneven overlap of nationality and ethnicity. Every ethnic group is a majority in one place and a minority in another, except the Muslims.

Ethnicity and Politics Ethnocentrism: The conviction of the self-evident superiority of one’s own ethnic group. Ethnic separatism: The desire for regional autonomy by a culturally distinctive group within a larger, politically dominant culture. Ethnic province: A large area dominated by or associated with a single ethnic group.

Ethnic Landscape The imprint on the physical and human landscape by a single ethnic group. A landscape suffused with meaning for an ethnic group.

More Ethnic Landscape

The U.S. Census and Ethnic Identity Year 2000 was the first year that people could identify themselves as having more than one race. It was also the year that Hispanic was separated out as a cultural identity separate from race.

Question In today’s globalized world, is it possible to maintain one’s ethnic identity? If yes, would that lead to a world with 5,000 countries?