In ethnic conflict: Theories of ethnic identity. … second approach, referred to as instrumentalist, was developed, which
understands ethnicity as a device used by individuals and groups to unify, organize, and mobilize populations to achieve larger goals
.
What is the primordial model of ethnicity?
Primordialism is the
idea that nations or ethnic identities are fixed, natural and ancient
. Primordialists argue that individuals have a single ethnic identity which is not subject to change and which is exogenous to historical processes.
What is instrumentalist theory?
instrumentalism, in the philosophy of science,
the view that the value of scientific concepts and theories is determined not by whether they are literally true or correspond to reality in some sense
but by the extent to which they help to make accurate empirical predictions or to resolve conceptual problems.
The constructivist theory
perceives ethnic identity as a socially constructed and fluid entity that can be formed through various means including conquest, colonization or immigration
(Wimmer, 2008). … They are fluid and originate within a set of social, economic and political processes (Chandra, 2001:7).
What is an example of symbolic ethnicity?
Examples of symbolic ethnicity include
religious celebrations
, and rites of passage such as the Quinceañera, a coming of age tradition celebrated by young women across Latin America. Consumer goods, notably food, are another source of ethnic symbols (Gans, 197, 435).
What is the difference between realism and instrumentalism?
Scientific realism holds that scientific theories are approximations of universal truths about reality, whereas scientific instrumentalism posits that scientific theories are
intellectual structures that provide adequate predictions
of what is observed and useful frameworks for answering questions and solving problems …
What is the major theories of ethnicity?
There are four main theoretical approaches that underpin the study of ethnicity. These are
primordialism, instrumentalism, materialism and constructionism
.
What is ethnic conflict theory?
Ethnic conflict,
a form of conflict in which the objectives of at least one party are defined in ethnic terms
, and the conflict, its antecedents, and possible solutions are perceived along ethnic lines.
What are the characteristics of ethnicity?
Ethnicity is considered to be shared characteristics such
as culture, language, religion, and traditions
, which contribute to a person or group’s identity. This shows that ethnicity is not necessarily genetic.
How are ethnic groups formed?
Under these conditions when people moved from one state to another, or one state conquered or colonized peoples beyond its national boundaries – ethnic groups were formed by
people who identified with one nation, but lived in another state
.
Why is Primordialism important?
As Geertz has argued that individuals attribute an ineffable importance to their assumed, sociologically known kinship, primordialism
acknowledges the role of social factors in the construction of ethnic identity
and in the significance of perceived kinship ties.
How useful are the main existing theories of ethnic conflict?
It suggests that a framework that incorporates all the strengths of these major theories can explain how
all the different factors
, they highlight, interact to trigger ethnic conflict; and this will in turn produce balanced narratives that will drive more effective intervention policies and programs in specific …
What are the theories of constructivism?
Constructivism is the
theory that says learners construct knowledge rather than just passively take in information
. As people experience the world and reflect upon those experiences, they build their own representations and incorporate new information into their pre-existing knowledge (schemas).
What is symbolic category?
A symbolic category belongs to
the realm of ideas, meaning-making, and language
. It is something actively created and recreated by human beings rather than pregiven, needing only to be labeled. Symbolic categories mark differences between grouped people or things.
What are optional ethnicities?
Optional ethnicity, meaning
the ability of some third- and fourth-generation Americans to maintain voluntarily an ethnic identity
, was first introduced by sociologist Mary C. Waters in 1990. Her work builds on Herbert Gans’s foundational theory of symbolic ethnicity.
What is symbolic culture in sociology?
Symbolic culture, or nonmaterial culture, is
the ability to learn and transmit behavioral traditions from one generation to the next by the invention of things that exist entirely in the symbolic realm
. … Symbolic culture is studied by archaeologists, social anthropologists and sociologists.
