Ethnicity

In this post the writer is going to discuss about ethnicity and its relation with race, the distinction of ethnicity, statuses in ethnic group, and the relation of it with assimilation.

An ethnic may define themselves as different because of their language, religion, geography, history, ancestry, or physical traits. Many people misinterpret ethnicity is the correct political term for race, whilst ethnicity is actually based on cultural traditions. Race, on the other hand, is mainly based on biological traits. Hence, when an ethnic group is assumed to have a biological basis, it is called a race.

Ethnic groups are formed around virtually the same features as cultures: common beliefs, values, customs, history, and the like. More about culture can be read in 'Culture' post in this blog.

Ethnicity and Status

Status refers to any position in a society, which can be filled by individual. In ethnicity, the role of status is also applied. There are two categories of statuses:

• Ascribed status is status into which people enter automatically without choice, usually at birth or through some other universal event in the life cycle. 
• Achieved status is status that people acquire through their own actions.

Chieftain of Asmat Tribe

See an example of Asmat tribe in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia. This tribe applies the “Big Men” status role of, in which they have the chieftain; the headman of the tribe. This position is never inherited, but rather achieved by surviving and winning competition within other chieftain candidates. The chieftain is expected to act as a negotiator with other tribes or foreign peers, and is also expected to give positive influences through his examples.

Within complex societies, ascribed status has the ability to describe large sub-groups: majority groups, minority groups, and races. It is differentiated by blood, or the inherited status given at birth. Differences in ascribed status are too commonly associated with differences in social-political power.

The definitive feature of a minority group is that its members systematically experience lesser income, authority, and power that other member of their society; a minority group is not necessarily a smaller population than other groups, bur it is rather the group that has minor power. Whilst the majority group, with what they own in reverse, has the capability to select higher position in economic and politic with the power they posses.

Although there is a status role that applies, ethnic groups are not formally, politically organized. Ethnic group lives in nations, and one nation commonly have more than one ethnic group (and the number is increasing).

Ethnicity and Assimilation

Assimilation in ethnicity occurs when a minority group adopts the patterns and norms of a more powerful culture, as when a migrant ethnic group conforms itself to its host culture.

Information gathered from many sources:

• Bina Nusantara Presentation "Human Diversities 1" slides 99-118 
• "Big Man (Anthropology) at  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_man_%28anthropology%29 (quoted at April 2nd 2014)

Image sources:

• www.bluekaffee.com