ipl-logo

Which Primordialist View On Ethnic Identity Is Too Simplistic?

999 Words4 Pages

However, critics of this theory argue that this view on ethnic identity is too simplistic. They argue that group identities are never fixed, due to the fact that history is constantly moving along, and the ethnic group experiences different events, and traumas which change the way individuals of the group sees the world, and themselves. Additionally, ethnic groups that are in existence today all contain individuals with varying levels of common ancestry. For example, within the Japanese population, there are people with mixed heritage. Primordialism fails to explain how these individuals form their ethnic identities. Which nation do they feel more pride? How about their external appearance? How will others in their country of residence see them as? Will a Japanese person who does not 'look' Japanese be able to form the same connections with his countrymen than a Japanese person who does 'look' Japanese? As stated before, Primordialism is too simplistic in how it determines …show more content…

In reality, there is a multitude of different factors at play which shape the identity of any member of a nation or state. Despite its shortcomings, Primordialism is useful when applied to ethnicity. Primordialists claim that ethnic identity is something that is innate and born with a human being. National characteristics according to this theory would be the physical characteristics of an ethnic group, the skin color, hair type, eye shape, etc. Individuals are born with these qualities and cannot be changed like the ethnic group they were born into.
Instrumentalism:
Instrumentalism is another theory to analyze ethnic identity, and is also a useful tool to explain ethnic conflicts. This theory mainly states that identity is a fluid and constantly changing phenomenon, and views ego as a preference. This is in stark

Show More
Related

Summary Of Diane C. Fujino's Coming Together: The Asian American Movement

500 Words | 2 Pages

Historically, groups of people whose “label” is comprised of conjunctive ethnicities experience a difficult time finding their true identity, but identity is found when unidentifiable individuals find a common goal. In the course of the last two weeks, we explored a concept called “Pan-Ethnicity” which deals with the unification of multiple ethnicities. It’s concept and practice is displayed by Yen Le Espiritu’s “Coming Together: The Asian American Movement”, and in chapter eight and nine of Diane C. Fujino’s book, “Samurai Among Panthers” respectively. In Espiritu’s text, a pan-ethnic organization or more specifically, a pan-Asian organization did two things for the Asian American movement.

Read More

Race And Ethnicity Paradigm

1025 Words | 5 Pages

Everyday the future in America looks brighter for the issues dealing with race and identity. Brave souls are not letting racism, class discrimination, or sexism hold them back anymore. Furthermore, the fight for a balanced society that pushes for equality is on the horizon. As we close on an era, based on purely the skin of the person, we need to analyze the impacts of the Ethnicity paradigm and Class paradigm on politics of the 20th century. Race and Ethnicity are used interchangeable in everyday conversation, however; they are not the same.

Read More

The Role Of The American Colonists Dbq Essay

556 Words | 3 Pages

One’s ethnicity can classify your identity. American colonists also identified themselves by fighting with different sides in the American

Read More

Analysis Of Steinberg's The Ethnic Myth

1417 Words | 6 Pages

Throughout Stephen Steinberg’s book the Ethnic Myth, multiple examples of how different ethnicities achieved economic ability and how others did not is discussed. He analysis a variety of different immigrant groups and how more than their cultural values played into whether or not they were successful in America. The following information in this paper will provide an example using black Americans as part of the “culture-of-poverty”. “The wronged are always wrong…” (New Republic, June 24, 1916) is the opening statement to chapter four and is associated with why the Negro is blamed for their own misfortune.

Read More

The Philosophy Of Diversity By Cornell Thomas And John Butler

1157 Words | 5 Pages

We as individuals deserve to be treated with respect, kindness, and non-judgmental attitudes. All individuals all deserve the same rights and privileges as well as acceptance, tolerance, and self-esteem. Last but not least, all individuals have their freedom of choice and decisions. I believe us as a nation, need to learn how to socialize more and learn from one another.

Read More

Nationalism: Ultranationalism And Genocide

774 Words | 4 Pages

Nationalism exists when citizens of a nation feel a sense of pride, devotion and patriotism to their country. Ultranationalism is nationalism taken to an extreme resulting in absolute force of power, primarily

Read More

Examples Of Misunderstandings In To Kill A Mockingbird

1028 Words | 5 Pages

Even in a society that, overall, is diverse, people with similar ideas and experiences tend to congregate in small groups, where they are comfortable. It is much easier to remain in homogenous groups, among those who understand each other. When different groups combine, many different life experiences and points of view will be present and will potentially clash. Misunderstanding is bound to occur in some form when individuals of different backgrounds interact. When misunderstandings occur, people tend to respond with violence, fear, or stereotyping.

Read More

African American Stereotypes Research Paper

1012 Words | 5 Pages

Every human being belongs to a specific type of race or possibly multiple races depending on his/her background. As a population, society views their fellow citizens according to their certain race. For some, culture and traditions of their own race means everything to them and these people are proud of who they are and where they come from. However, for some races their background and pride carries burdens.

Read More

Who Am I Beverly Daniel Tatum Analysis

759 Words | 4 Pages

They often follow or believe in what their great grandparents believed. The identity of person comes from the people pasts, which shapes their unique

Read More

Essay On Race In The Dominican Republic

933 Words | 4 Pages

Humans are born with an identity that establishes them within a culture and society. Been born within a country does not entitle belonging within the society or culture. Not all societies are open for outsiders to fit within their society. Having the wrong identification can bring some people some horrible consequences. For instance, in the Dominican Republic someone identified as a Haitian was less than someone

Read More

Compare And Contrast Race And Ethnicity

324 Words | 2 Pages

Race and ethnicity are two terms which are used interchangeably in every day conversation, however, there is a distinction between the two. Race is a categorization of people who have been singled out as inferior or superior, often on the basis of phenotype – observable physical characteristics such as skin color, hair texture, eye shape, or other selective attributes. Race is a social construct and has been known to change with historical and political events. Contrarily, ethnicity does not necessarily provide visual clues, instead, ethnicity is categorized on the basis of a shared common culture and includes elements such as language, norms, customs, religion, music, art, literature. Ethnic Groups are developed by their unique history

Read More

Biological Basis Of Race Essay

499 Words | 2 Pages

Among anthropologists it has become increasingly clear that the concept of race having a biological basis is fundamentally flawed. There a number of flaws with this concept of race. One issue is that features attributed to race, such as skin color, very across the globe in a clinal fashion rather than in uniform groups. Another issue is that there is more in-group variation within races than there is variation between races. Finally, human variation is non-concordant.

Read More

My Identity And African American Identity

1601 Words | 7 Pages

but I do not think about what that means nor what means for my other identities nearly as much as I probably should. While the captured Africans, repressed Native Americans, and the European settlers that fragmented them are all parts of my ancestry and have led to my current identity, my identity now is so vastly different from their modern counterparts. Let me begin with the dominate culture that makes up the bulk of my identity, African

Read More

Essay On Racial Identity

933 Words | 4 Pages

Racial identity plays a role in the physical and psychological features of humans. Physically, humans in different parts of the globe endure different conditions and environments. Humans adapt to their environments and obtain different physical traits, henceforth, these physical traits have become adjacent to race. Psychologically, ancestral prejudices and influences throughout history have lingered through the generations and have impacted modern racial identities and tensions. Ethnic conflicts of the past such as the Social Darwinist theory of a "superior race" are morally refuted in current times, but that assumption had a brunt impact in which the world is still repairing today.

Read More

Gellner's Theory Of Nationalism

1518 Words | 7 Pages

A nation stems from a pre-existing history. It does not require that all the members be alike but they must have a bond of solidarity to the other members of the nation. Nationalism is a movement for the attainment and maintenance of unity, identity and autonomy of a population that its members consider a nation. Nations are a product of modernity but it is likely to find ethnic elements that exist in these nations.

Read More

More about Which Primordialist View On Ethnic Identity Is Too Simplistic?

Related Topics

Open Document