Ethnic group

Ethnic group

An ethnic group or ethnicity is a category of people who identify with each other based on common ancestral, social, cultural, or national experiences. Unlike most other social groups, ethnicity is primarily an inherited status. Membership of an ethnic group tends to be defined by a shared cultural heritage, ancestry, origin myth, history, homeland, language or dialect, symbolic systems such as religion, mythology and ritual, cuisine, dressing style, art, and physical appearance.

Definitions and Concepts

The concept of an ethnic group is complex and has various definitions rooted in different disciplines. Some anthropologists and historians define an ethnic group as a social group that shares an ethnic identity, which might include a common language, a common heritage, a common culture, or common genetic characteristics. These groups often also share an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy—marriage within the group.

Characteristics

Ethnic groups distinguish themselves differently from one time period to another. They may define themselves or be defined by others based on race or ethnic nationalism, where the notion of purity or direct lineage from a certain group or place becomes a central point of identity. Ethnic groups are also marked by the so-called "boundaries" which can be linguistic, religious, geographic, or political.

Ethnicity and Race

While often used interchangeably in everyday language, ethnicity and race are different concepts. Ethnicity is based on a shared cultural expression and identification, whereas race is rooted in the perception of biological differences between people. It is important to note that while racial groups are also socially constructed, ethnicity is considered a more broadly encompassing term.

Dynamics of Ethnic Groups

Ethnic groups can be subject to various dynamics including:

• Assimilation: where an ethnic group adopts enough of the ways of the host society to be functionally indistinguishable from other members of that society.
• Cultural pluralism: where small groups within a larger society maintain their unique cultural identities, and their values and practices are accepted by the wider culture provided they are consistent with the laws and values of the wider society.
• Ethnic conflict: which may arise from perceived threats to the ethnicity's collective status, rights, or physical existence. Some ethnic conflicts have been very violent and have led to significant ethnic cleansing and genocide.
• Ethnic nationalism: where the nation is defined in terms of ethnicity.

Examples of Ethnic Groups

There are countless ethnic groups globally, each with its own distinct culture and identity. Some examples include:

• The Han Chinese, who are the majority ethnic group in China.
• The Bengali people, an ethnic group divided between Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal.
• The Zulu people, a prominent ethnic group in southern Africa.
• The Sami people, an indigenous people inhabiting the Arctic area of Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Kola Peninsula of Russia.

Challenges and Issues

Ethnic groups face various challenges, including discrimination, marginalization, and the struggle for recognition and rights. In many parts of the world, ethnic minorities struggle for equal access to resources, employment, and education. There is also often a tension between state policies aimed at promoting a cohesive national identity and the desires of ethnic groups to maintain their distinctiveness.

See Also

• Cultural anthropology
• Ethnology
• Sociology of race and ethnic relations