Ethnicity

An ethnicity or ethnic group is a group of people that perceives themselves to be different from out-groups based on shared attributes. These attributes include having a common language, culture, common sets of ancestry, traditions, society, religion, history, or social treatment.^[1]^[2] Ethnicities are also characterized by long-term endogamy^[3] and may have a narrow or broad spectrum of genetic ancestry, with some groups having mixed genetic ancestry.^[4]^[5]^[6]The term ethnicity is sometimes used interchangeably with the term nation, particularly in cases of ethnic nationalism. It is also used interchangeably with race.^[7]

By way of assimilation, acculturation, amalgamation, language shift, intermarriage, adoption, and religious conversion, individuals or groups may over time shift from one ethnic group to another. Ethnic groups may be divided into subgroups or tribes, which over time may become separate ethnic groups themselves due to endogamy or physical isolation from the parent group. Conversely, formerly separate ethnicities can merge to form a panethnicity and may eventually merge into one single ethnicity. Whether through division or amalgamation, the formation of a separate ethnic identity is referred to as ethnogenesis.

Two theoriesrimordialism and constructivism. Early 20th-century primordialists viewed ethnic groups as real phenomena whose distinct characteristics have endured since the distant past.^[8] Perspectives that developed after the 1960s increasingly viewed ethnic groups as social constructs, with identity assigned by societal rules.^[9]

^ Chandra, Kanchan (2012). Constructivist theories of ethnic politics. Oxford University Press. pp. 69–70. ISBN 978-0199893157. OCLC 829678440. Archived from the original on 30 July 2022. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
^ People, James; Bailey, Garrick (2010). Humanity: An Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (9th ed.). Wadsworth Cengage learning. p. 389. In essence, an ethnic group is a named social category of people based on perceptions of shared social experience or one's ancestors' experiences. Members of the ethnic group see themselves as sharing cultural traditions and history that distinguish them from other groups. Ethnic group identity has a strong psychological or emotional component that divides the people of the world into opposing categories of 'us' and 'them'. In contrast to social stratification, which divides and unifies people along a series of horizontal axes based on socioeconomic factors, ethnic identities divide and unify people along a series of vertical axes. Thus, ethnic groups, at least theoretically, cut across socioeconomic class differences, drawing members from all strata of the population.
^ Katarina, Shyamal (2018). "Explaining Ethnicity: Primordialism vs. Instrumentalism". Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal. 5 (4) – via ResearchGate.
^ "Insight into Ethnic Differences". National Institutes of Health (NIH). 25 May 2015. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
^ Banda, Yambazi; Kvale, Mark N.; Hoffmann, Thomas J.; Hesselson, Stephanie E.; Ranatunga, Dilrini; Tang, Hua; Sabatti, Chiara; Croen, Lisa A.; Dispensa, Brad P.; Henderson, Mary; Iribarren, Carlos (1 August 2015). "Characterizing Race/Ethnicity and Genetic Ancestry for 100,000 Subjects in the Genetic Epidemiology Research on Adult Health and Aging (GERA) Cohort". Genetics. 200 (4): 1285–1295. doi:10.1534/genetics.115.178616. ISSN 0016-6731. PMC 4574246. PMID 26092716. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
^ Salter, Frank; Harpending, Henry (1 July 2013). "J.P. Rushton's theory of ethnic nepotism". Personality and Individual Differences. 55 (3): 256–260. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2012.11.014. ISSN 0191-8869. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
^ Grosfoguel, Ramán (September 2004). "Race and Ethnicity or Racialized Ethnicities? Identities within Global Coloniality". Ethnicities. 315–336. 4 (3): 315. doi:10.1177/1468796804045237. S2CID 145445798. Archived from the original on 6 February 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
^ Bayar, Murat (14 October 2009). "Reconsidering primordialism: an alternative approach to the study of ethnicity". Ethnic and Racial Studies. 32 (9): 1639–1657. doi:10.1080/01419870902763878. S2CID 143391013. Archived from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
^ Chandra Ford; Nina T Harawa (29 April 2010). "A new conceptualization of ethnicity for social epidemiologic and health equity research". Soc Sci Med. 71 (2): 251–258. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.04.008. PMC 2908006. PMID 20488602.

[:0-1] Chandra, Kanchan (2012). Constructivist theories of ethnic politics. Oxford University Press. pp. 69–70. ISBN 978-0199893157. OCLC 829678440. Archived from the original on 30 July 2022. Retrieved 11 September 2020.

[2] People, James; Bailey, Garrick (2010). Humanity: An Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (9th ed.). Wadsworth Cengage learning. p. 389. In essence, an ethnic group is a named social category of people based on perceptions of shared social experience or one's ancestors' experiences. Members of the ethnic group see themselves as sharing cultural traditions and history that distinguish them from other groups. Ethnic group identity has a strong psychological or emotional component that divides the people of the world into opposing categories of 'us' and 'them'. In contrast to social stratification, which divides and unifies people along a series of horizontal axes based on socioeconomic factors, ethnic identities divide and unify people along a series of vertical axes. Thus, ethnic groups, at least theoretically, cut across socioeconomic class differences, drawing members from all strata of the population.

[:3-3] Katarina, Shyamal (2018). "Explaining Ethnicity: Primordialism vs. Instrumentalism". Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal. 5 (4) – via ResearchGate.

[4] "Insight into Ethnic Differences". National Institutes of Health (NIH). 25 May 2015. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2021.

[5] Banda, Yambazi; Kvale, Mark N.; Hoffmann, Thomas J.; Hesselson, Stephanie E.; Ranatunga, Dilrini; Tang, Hua; Sabatti, Chiara; Croen, Lisa A.; Dispensa, Brad P.; Henderson, Mary; Iribarren, Carlos (1 August 2015). "Characterizing Race/Ethnicity and Genetic Ancestry for 100,000 Subjects in the Genetic Epidemiology Research on Adult Health and Aging (GERA) Cohort". Genetics. 200 (4): 1285–1295. doi:10.1534/genetics.115.178616. ISSN 0016-6731. PMC 4574246. PMID 26092716. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2021.

[6] Salter, Frank; Harpending, Henry (1 July 2013). "J.P. Rushton's theory of ethnic nepotism". Personality and Individual Differences. 55 (3): 256–260. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2012.11.014. ISSN 0191-8869. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2021.

[7] Grosfoguel, Ramán (September 2004). "Race and Ethnicity or Racialized Ethnicities? Identities within Global Coloniality". Ethnicities. 315–336. 4 (3): 315. doi:10.1177/1468796804045237. S2CID 145445798. Archived from the original on 6 February 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2012.

[8] Bayar, Murat (14 October 2009). "Reconsidering primordialism: an alternative approach to the study of ethnicity". Ethnic and Racial Studies. 32 (9): 1639–1657. doi:10.1080/01419870902763878. S2CID 143391013. Archived from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2021.

[9] Chandra Ford; Nina T Harawa (29 April 2010). "A new conceptualization of ethnicity for social epidemiologic and health equity research". Soc Sci Med. 71 (2): 251–258. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.04.008. PMC 2908006. PMID 20488602.

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