ANT 2410 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Imagined Community, Ethnocide, Identity Politics
Document Summary
Ethnicity (based on cultural similarities and differences) Ethnic group: group whose members share certain beliefs, values, habits, customs, and norms, because of their common background. Ethnicity: identification with, and feeling part of, an ethnic group and exclusion from certain other groups because of this affiliation. Ascribed status: little or no choice about occupying the status given, i. e. ethnicity. Achieved status: through choices, actions, efforts, talents, or accomplishments, may be positive or negative. In usa ascribed status is associated with a position in the sociopolitical hierarchy (minorities as subordinates/feature of stratification) When an ethnic group is assumed to have a biological basis, it is called a race. Situational negotiation of social identity (one identity is used in certain settings,-- Historically, scientists approached the study of human biological diversity in two ways: Racial classification, now largely rejected, explanatory approach (understanding differences). Us culture does not draw very clear line between ethnicity and race.
