Ethnicity allows us to identify and distinguish an ethnic group.
The differential feature of an ethnic group is called ethnicity . The term ethnicity, meanwhile, refers to the community that is defined by cultural, linguistic or racial similarities .
Identification and distinction
It can be stated that ethnicity is what allows an ethnic group to be identified and distinguished . The concept works as a classifying method that is related to a sense of belonging.
It is important to keep in mind that ethnicity is a cultural construct . This label is born in a social context: the same ethnicity can be registered and identified in different ways.
Ethnicity, in short, is a system of segmentation and classification that can manifest itself in various ways. A distinction can be made between political ethnicity (associated with political activism based on ethnic identity) and cultural ethnicity (sustained by a religion , language or other shared cultural value).
Members of the same group
It should be noted that ethnicity is what allows members of an ethnic group to recognize each other as peers or as members of the same group. Thus, a person feels part of a group due to their ethnicity and, in turn, considers other subjects as similar for the same reason.
Ethnicity, on the other hand, conditions collective imaginaries and is relevant when it comes to social segmentation . There are societies , in fact, that are organized based on groupings determined by ethnicity.
ethnic markers
Experts speak of ethnic markers to refer to the characters that define ethnicity. Among them are racial characteristics, religious beliefs, shared rituals, and other aspects that allow many people to feel linked to each other, to consider themselves part of a large ethnic group. Although from the outside this can be used for discriminatory purposes, from within it usually generates a feeling of security knowing that they can count on others, as if it were a big family.
It is important to talk about language as a factor when classifying ethnic groups. Ethnicity is not directly linked to a particular language; On the contrary, there are many that are used by different ethnic groups, as well as ethnic groups that speak many languages. Despite this, it is not uncommon to find this erroneous criterion in research work belonging to the field of ethnology . Something that they must attend to during classification is the common tradition, which goes hand in hand with their history and cultural traits.
We should not confuse ethnicity with race, although some studies focus on both aspects.
As an ethnic marker, culture can be especially difficult to delineate within a given group, especially because most groups are close to others, with which they share certain traits to a greater or lesser extent. Let us not forget that ethnicity is essentially the character that distinguishes an ethnic group, so everything that is not unique or that is not sufficiently differentiated should be left out. The true markers are those that the people themselves use to project a common future, and it is perhaps through this perspective that the study of ethnicity is facilitated.
The race
Some interdisciplinary studies aim to understand the history, and theories related to ethnicity and race . To do this, they use analysis tools and points of view that arise from various disciplines. Throughout our history as a species, these aspects have always aroused deep interest, generally to carry out acts of violence. From today's purely academic perspective, however, the objective is not to continue spreading hatred but to better understand each group.