Unit Five
Inter-Ethnic Relations, Identity
and Multiculturalism
BDU, 2024
After the end of the second world war, words like “ethnicity”, “ethnic
groups” “ethnic conflict” and “nationalism” have become quite
common terms.
In the early 20th century, many social theorists held that ethnicity and
nationalism would decrease in importance and eventually vanish as a
result of modernization, industrialization and individualism.
But, ethnicity and nationalism have grown in political importance in
the world during WW II.
Increase in labour migrants and refugees to Europe and North
America established ethnic minorities.
Many people fear the loss of their national or ethnic identity as a
result of integration.
Ethnicity
The word ethnicity derived from the Greek term ‘ethnos’ which means
“a group of people bound together by the same manners, customs or
other distinctive features” (Vanderwerf et al., 2009).
A collectivity of humans lived and acted together.
Before World War II, “tribe” was the term of choice for “pre-modern”
societies and the term “race” was used to refer modern societies.
After the end of II WW, the term “ethnic” gradually replaced “race”.
So there was a confusion on questions of ‘race’, ‘culture’ and
‘ethnicity’.
ethnicity is “vague, elusive and expansive”- confused, unclear.
In spite of difference in scholarly views the basic social anthropological models of ethnicity
are;
Ethnicity is a matter of cultural differentiation,
Ethnicity is centrally a matter of shared meanings,
Ethnicity is no more fixed or unchanging,
Ethnicity, as identification, is collective and individual, categorization of
others, and internalized in personal self-identification.
It is not to mean that members of an ethnic group must always
share one and the same culture to the exclusion of any other.
But, to mean a relation to a group who either now or at some
point in the past has shared a unique culture.
Ethnic Groups and Ethnic Identity
Ethnic group = Ethnicity as the collective phenomenon.
Ethnic identity = Ethnicity as an individually experienced phenomenon.
Ethnic group
Different scholars define it in different ways.
According to Max Weber, an “ethnic group” is based on the belief in
common descent shared by its members, extending beyond kinship,
political solidarity vis-a-vis other groups, and common customs,
language, religion, values, morality, and etiquette (Weber, 1978).
Ethnic groups as “an imagined community” that possesses a
“character and quality” (Anderson, 1983).
“a unit of population having unique characteristics in relation with
others, binding with common language, myth of origin, and history
of ethnic allegiance” (Schermerhorn, 1996).
Six main features that the definition of an ethnic group,
predominantly consists; (Hutchinson and Smith, 1996).
1. A common proper name,
2. A myth of common ancestry,
3. Shared historical memories like heroes, events….,
4. Elements of common culture like; religion, customs, and language,
5. A link with a homeland
6. A sense of solidarity- togetherness/ belongingness
Ethnic identity
Like ethnic group the definition of ethnic identity vary, there is no
widely agreed definition.
It is an affiliative construct, where individuals viewed by themselves
and by others as belonging to a particular ethnic or cultural group.
Affiliation can be influenced by racial (physical characteristics), natal
(homeland or origin), symbolic, and cultural factors (holidays, foods,
clothing, artifacts, etc.).
It is a social-psychological process, which gives an individual a sense
of belongingness and identity.
Thus, we can distinguish external and internal aspects of ethnic
identity.
Objective (External) aspects refer to observable behaviour, both
cultural and social, such as;
1. Speaking an ethnic language, practicing ethnic traditions,
2. Participation in ethnic personal networks, such as family and
friendships,
3. Participation in ethnic institutional organizations, such as
churches, schools, enterprises, media
4. Participation in ethnic voluntary associations, such as clubs,
'societies,' youth organizations and
5. Participation in functions sponsored by ethnic organizations such
as picnics, concerts, public lectures, rallies, dances.
Subjective (Internal) aspects of ethnic identity
refer to images, ideas, attitudes, and feelings.
Three types of internal aspects of identity:
(1) Cognitive, self-image and knowledge.
(2) Moral, feeling of group obligation. and
(3) Affective; attitude feeling of attachment
Theories of Ethnicity
There are Three major theories of ethnicity; Primordialism,
Instrumentalism and Social Constructivism.
I. The Primordial Model of Ethnicity
It is the oldest approach, was popular until the mid-1970s.
Primordialism is an “objectivist or essentialist theory” which
argues, that “ultimately there is some real, tangible, foundation for
ethnic identification.”
Ethnicity is fixed at birth. Ethnic identification is based on deep,
‘primordial’ attachments to a group or culture.
Ethnicity as a natural phenomenon with its foundations in
primordial ties - deriving mainly from kinship,
locality and culture (Geertz, 1963).
Geertz believe that ethnicity can stimulated and quickened by
the political modernization of nation-building.
Ethnicity is something given, ascribed at birth, deriving from the
kin-and-clan-structure of human society, and hence something
more or less fixed and permanent.
‘Basic group identity’ - ethnic identity, which was argued to be
assigned at birth and more fundamental and natural than other
social links (Isaacs, 1974) .
‘A myth-symbol complex’- diffusion and transmission of
ethnicity to its unit of population and its future generations
(Smith, 1986).
Smith concluded that, ‘primordialism’ makes two distinct
claims;
Firstly, ethnicity and ethnic attachment is “natural and innate”,
which would never change over time, and
Secondly, it is “ancient and perennial- stay long”.
By this, ethnicity is an ascribed status and ethnic membership is
fixed, permanent and primarily ascribed through birth.
II. Instrumentalist (Situational) Theory of Ethnicity
The instrumentalist theorists view ethnicity as situationally
defined.
depending on rational calculations of advantage and stimulated
by political mobilization.
Ethnicity is an instrument of group mobilization
for political and economic ends (Banks, 1996).
Ethnicity, based on people’s “historical” and
“symbolic” memory, is something created and
used and exploited by leaders and others in the
pragmatic pursuit of their own interests.
By this, ethnicity is something that can be
changed, constructed or even manipulated to
gain specific political and/or economic ends.
Ethnic group as a collectively organized strategy
for the protection of economic and political
interests” (Cohen, 1974).
Ethnicity is "a group option in which resources
are mobilized for the purpose of pressuring the
political system to allocate public goods for the
benefit of the members of a self-differentiating
collectivity" (Ross, 1982).
III.Constructivist (Social constructivist) Theory
of Ethnicity
The basic notion in this approach is that ethnicity
constructed in everyday living.
Ethnic identity is not something people
“possess” but something they “construct” in
specific social and historical contexts to further
their own interests.
Ethnicity is constructed in the process of feeding,
clothing, sending to school and conversing with
children and others.
F. Barth is the leading figure of this approach.
It is subjective- a matter of perception of "us" and "them”.
Ethnicity is more dependent on the socio-psychological
experience of individuals.
In general, constructivists conceive ethnicity as situational,
flexible and variable.
Ethnicity is dynamic that changes through time and space; and
Ethnic identities are constructed, deconstructed and
reconstructed based on the interest of individuals.
Multiculturalism and Its Theories
The way in which a given society engages with cultural diversity.
Assuming that members of very different cultures can coexist
peacefully.
Society is strengthened through preserving, respecting, and even
encouraging cultural diversity.
Is the manner in which a society deals with cultural diversity, both
at the national and community level.
Societies benefit from increased diversity through the harmonious
coexistence of different cultures.
There are two theories or models to conceptualize multiculturalism;
A. The Melting Pot Theory
Assumes that different immigrant groups will be inclined to “melt
together,” leaving their own individual cultures and subsequently will
be fully assimilated into the predominant society and its culture.
Used to describe the assimilation of immigrants into countries like
the United States.
Metaphor of a melting pots in which the "elements of iron and
carbon are melted together to create a single, stronger metal
steel”.
Heterogeneous cultures will be mixed and become one or create a
B. The Salad Bowl Theory
It is more of a liberal theory of multiculturalism in comparison to
the melting pot theory.
Heterogeneous society in which people coexist by retaining at least
some of the distinctiveness aspects of their traditional culture.
Like ingredients of salad, various cultures are brought together.
However, retain their own distinct flavors rather than mixing into a
single homogeneous culture. Eg. New York City
On contrary, there is argument that the cultural differences
encouraged by the salad bowl model can divide a society and
result in chauvinism and discrimination.
The Characteristics of a Multicultural Society
People of different races, ethnicities, and nationalities living
together in the same community.
People up hold, transfer, cherish, and share their distinctive cultural
ways of life, languages, art, traditions, and behaviors.
Community’s public schools, where curricula are made to
introduce young people to the qualities and advantages of
cultural diversity.
N I T F I V E
E ND O F U
10Q
