Ethnic Identities
Key ideas/points you should be able to write about for ethnic identities:
- What do we mean by ethnicity?
- Is ethnicity a simple or complex idea?
- What is ethnicity based upon?
- How are ethnic identities formed?
- You need to look at socialisation processes and which institutions are involved in that – family, education, peer groups, religion, media …
- The role of racism and social exclusion in the formation and strengthening of ethnic identities.
- What are the different sociological viewpoints on ethnic identities and their formation?
- Review the studies and viewpoints we have looked at in class
- How are ethnic identities changing?
- In what ways are ethnic identities different today compared to 20 or 30 years ago?
- How have changes in society had an impact upon ethnic identities?
- Changes in occupational structure
- Growth of postmodernism
- Changes in technology
- Changes to the family and other social institutions
- Globalisation
- In what ways have ethnic identities stayed the same?
The Formation of Ethnic Identities
There are a range of different factors which affect the formation of ethnic identities, click here for more information and a PowerPoint show.
Changing Ethnic Identities
- Patterson (1965) – expectation that assimilation of ethnic minorities would eventually occur.
- Study of West Indian immigrants
- Immigrant-Host model
- BUT evidence that, while ethnic minorities have to some extent changed behaviours, they have not vanished.
Growth of multi-cultural society
- Modood et al (1997) – study for the Policy Studies Institute, looked at changing ethnic identities
- Asian identities –
- changes for 2nd generation – religion, marriage
- Identification in specific ethnic/religious terms
- Black Identities
- No single black identity
- Influence of Caribbean cultural traditions
- Change in importance of religious faith
- Use of Patois
- Range of descriptions but not “British”
Resistance
- Gilroy (1997), Hebdige (1979) – use of ethnic identity as resistance to racism & dominant ideologies
- Mercer (1995) – style as a political tool – hairstyles & dress
Mixing Identities
- Tension between identities? – Ballard (1994) – idea is exaggerated – young Asians switch “codes” – cultural navigation
- Shifting cultures & identities
- Creation of hybrid identities
- Back (1996) – council estates in South London, evidence of cultural “borrowing”
- Back (1994) – global musical styles
- Robins (1997) – role of globalisation in bringing the local to the global
- BUT – Morley (1994) – interconnectedness of global cultures not new – legacy of colonialism
- Hall (1992) – postmodern - fragmenting of ethnic identity – personal creation & choice
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