ETHNICITY Ethnicity Introduction n n Ethnicity group of

ETHNICITY

Ethnicity - Introduction n n Ethnicity: group of people w/ a common identity based on a distinct but shared culture (i. e. common homeland, language, religion, or race). Comes from Greek word “ethnos” which refers to a unique and cohesive group…i. e. us v. them

Ethnicity v. Race n n n Ethnicity and race not necessarily same thing Race = genetic traits, biologically inherited physical characteristics Ethnicity involves more than biological characteristics. May include that, but goes well beyond to include person’s social and cultural identity…. i. e. people of same race can form many different ethnicities

Ethnicity n n n Ethnocentrism: one’s conviction of ethnic superiority (like racism for an ethnic group) Ethnic groups usually have ties to a particular homeland – often leads to ethnic cleansing or violence is to try to control piece of land Ethnicity is strongest tie for local diversity against globalization. Even if glob engulfs relig and lang, ethnicity will likely remain

Ethnicity n Ethnic groups can be difficult to identify…. usually self-identified. Do we see ourselves as a unique and cohesive group…i. e. us versus them?

Ethnic Distributions n In United States: • 13% African American • 13% Hispanic (surpassing AA) • 4% Asian American • 1% American Indian • (white/Caucasian not an ethnicity)…. why not?

Segregation n De jure seg V. de facto seg • De jure = legalized (Plessey v. Ferguson, apartheid in S. Africa)

De Jure Segregation n n Overturned by Brown v. BOE Nelson Mandella in S. Africa

Ethnic Clusters n Ethnic enclave: voluntary residential segregation based on ethnicity (i. e. ethnic neighborhoods…Hispanic barrios, China town, little Havana)

De Facto Segregation n Not legal – just happens. Ethnic clustering or ethnic enclaves • i. e. white side of town, black side of town, etc.

Segregation by Scale n n Seg can happen on 2 scales – within the region of a country or within neighborhoods of a city Regional Seg in U. S. • African Am in SE and cities • Hispanics in SW • Asian Am in west (Hawaii, CA) • Am Indians in SW and plains

De Facto Seg by Scale n Seg within cities…. . east side, west side, etc. • African Am highly clustered in cities (@ ¼ of all Americans live in cities, but ½ of all African Am in cities) • Ex: Chicago = 1/3 AA, Ill 1/12 AA • Ex: Detroit = 4/5 AA, Michigan 1/14 AA • Ghetto: when ethnic groups were forced to live in parts of city usually in crowded, undesirable areas. Term came from Middle Ages w/ forced Jewish neighborhoods

Ethnicity transformed into Nationalities n Nationality: a group of people who share a legal attachment and personal allegiance to a particular country (is distinct from race and ethnicity, but often overlaps) • i. e. we’re all American but diff races and ethnicities

Nation-States n Nation-state: geo-political ideal - a state who’s territory corresponds to that occupied by a particular ethnicity that has been transformed into a nationality (i. e. Czech Republic, Japan) • Self-determination: idea that ethnicity has right to govern themselves…has led to creation of new nation states and violence (i. e. Yugoslavia)

In reality…nation states are rare • Multi-nation states: a country that contains 2 or more ethnic groups w/ traditions of self-determ that agree to co -exist and share power peacefully UK w/ 4 nationalities (Eng, Scot, Wales, N Ire) n Russia = largest multi-nation state w/ 39 n United States n Canada – French and English speaking provinces n

In reality, nation states are rare. . . n Multi –State Nations: When a cohesive ethnic group is scattered among different countries - Kurds - Jews - Serbs in Austro-Hungarian empire

Resurgence of Ethnic Identity n Last 20 yrs has seen resurgence of ethnic identity. During Cold War, Comm. dominated E. Eur and repressed ethn and cultural differences. After fall of Comm ethnicity rebounded- led to breakup of several states and ethnic violence • Ex: Yugoslavia – ethnic cleansing • USSR – dismantled along ethnic lines • Czechoslovakia (Velvet Divorce) All divided along cultural/ethnic divides

Ethnic Violence n n Over 90% of world’s countries contain more than 1 ethnicity (i. e. nation state is rare ideal) Sub Sahara Africa and Balkans esp plagued w/ ethnic violence (lots of ethnicities and country boundaries don’t match) – Scramble for Africa imposed boundaries across ethnic/tribal groups

Examples of Ethnic Violence n n Ethiopia and Eritrea - 30 yr civil war, 665, 000 Eritrean refugees fled to Sudan – civil war since 1980 s • Black Christian rebels in South V. Arab Muslim govn’t forces in North • Oppressive fundamentalist govn’t • Over 2 mill dead, 1 mill refuges

Examples of ethnic violence n Somalia: 6 major ethnic groups (clans) • Gov’t collapse in 1990 s, war between clans for power vacuum • Famine, 300, 000 dead, refugees • US sent in troops (Black Hawk Down)

Examples of Ethnic Violence n Lebanon - @ 60% Muslim, 30% Christian, 10% other • Militant Muslim sect – Hezbollah • Civil war • Kurds – ethn divided among several states (25 mill divided betwn 6 countries) – multi state nation n Fought for ind in Turkey and Iraq

Examples of Ethnic Violence n Great Migration – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh • British leave in 1847, ethnic fight • Hindus – India, Muslims – E. W. Pakistan • India has hundreds of lang and ethnic groups and Hinduism has been centripetal force • @ 17 mill moved – some killed by extremists on both sides • Still fight over Kashmir – in the north

Examples of Ethnic Violence n Sri Lanka – Sinhalese V. Tamils • 60, 000 dead since fighting began in 1983 • Sinhalese – 74% Buddhist in S. • Tamils – 18% Hindus in N. • Tamils feel discriminated against, ongoing fighting

Ethnic Cleansing n In worst cases ethnic violence can lead to ethnic cleansing – process by which more powerful ethnic group forcibly removes less powerful ethnic group in order to create ethnic homogeneity. Can be achieved by. . • Forced migration - push out, burn homes, destroy towns • Genocide: premeditated effort to kill all from certain ethnic group (Holocaust)

Yugoslav Map

Yugoslavia – the Balkans n Yug had 5 ethnicities – Serbs, Croats, Slovenes, Macedonians, Montenegrins • Communist – Josip Tito subdued ethnic animosities, forged Yugoslav identity…fireball erupts after Tito’s death & fall of Comm (1980 s) • Croats helped Nazi Germans round up and kill Serbs during WW II • Tito – at right – held Yugoslavia together for several decades

Yugoslavia – Cont’d n n Ethnic cleansing in Bosnia – 40% Muslim, 32% Serb, 18% Croat – Serbs and Croats want to join with Crotia and Serbia. To strengthen claim, ethnically cleanse Bosnian Muslims. Kosovo: S. province of Serbia and Montenegro was 90% Albanian. Serbs use ethnic cleansing to push Albanians off land into nation of Albania. US and NATO bombed Serbia and forced Serbia to withdraw from Kosovo.

Yugoslavia – cont’d n At left Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic – charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity. Died of a heart attack while awaiting trial at the Hague

Yugoslavia - contd n n n Results of ethnic violence Bosnian Serbs = 33% pop got 50% country Bosnian Croats = 18% pop got 25%country Bosnian Muslims = 44% pop got 27% country Balkanization – the breakdown of a state through ethnic conflict – i. e. shatterbelt

E. Europe After Fall of Comm n USSR – dismantled Czechoslovakia velvet divorce Yugoslavia – split Balkanization All ethnic divisions

Ethnic Cleansing n Rwanda and Burundi • Hutus V. Tutsi • Tutsi – minority but treated better under colonial rule (lighter skin, taller, got govnt jobs and education) • Independence – Hutu majority ethnically cleanse Tutsi minority • Spirals into civil war…million dead, millions of refugees

GENDER n n Gender: cultural reference to socially created distinctions (not biological) between masculinity – femininity Gender Equity women’s welfare (i. e. education, health care, career, social roles, political power, etc. ) Women’s welfare lags far behind in much of the world

Measures of Gender Equity n n n Infanticide: killing babies (usually girls) Enfranchisement: political power, voting rights Dowry Death: dowry is gift from bride’s family to groom’s (India). Substantial monetary gifts often expected. If groom’s family not satisfied w/ gift, may cast bride out or kill her.

Measures of Gender Equity n Maternal Mortality Rate: # of maternal deaths per 1, 000 births • Single greatest health disparity betwn MDCs and LDCs • WHO – 530, 000 women die each yr from pregnancy related causes (99% of these in LDCs) • Leading causes – pregnancy complications, abortions, delivery • 1 in 16 women in Af die from maternal causes • These deaths are preventable – malnutrition, lack of prenatal care, etc.