The Meaning of Ethnicity and Ethnic Identification
The Meaning of Ethnicity and Ethnic Identificationethnicity - (n) - A quality assigned to a specific group of peoplehistorically connected by a common national origin or language. Ethnicclassification is used for identification rather than differentiation.www.crh.noaa.gov/diversity/divdef.htm The term "ethnicity" is a complex term. In today's public discourse,it has replaced the term "race" as a more "politically correct"representation of the classification of humans on the basis of nationalorigin and language. However, in practice, "ethnicity" as a term carrieswith it all of the ambiguity and controversy that the term "race" carries.This is especially true when one attempts to apply the term to a particularindividual by "ethnic identification." At one time in history, many believed that ideas of race and ethnicbackground would slowly fade from human consciousness; that the world wouldslowly meld into one homogeneous society as a result of modernization,
However, as can be clearly seen in several nations worldwide, therefinement of the definition of "ethnicity" has done nothing to decreasethe inequality that results from ethnic identification. ethnic classification is used for identification rather thandifferentiation," however, the societies and nations of the world have along way to go until they realize that goal. Indeed, the"official definition" of "ethnicity" and "ethnic identification" may be". When the state of Israel was created in 1948, it was hailed as thebeginning of a unified "Jewish State," a home for all of the scatteredtribes of the Diaspora. Instead, one seesthe same problems with ethnic identification that previously existed with"racial" identification. industrialization, and individualism. [2] Further, smaller, socialconflicts between various societies, based on the inherent problems withethnic identification and discrimination have remained steady world-wide. [1] However, as the world progressesinto the 21st century, the issue of ethnicity and ethnic diversity,inequality, and conflict seems to grow in significance every day. "[3] For this reason, combinedwith the very real practical problem of classifying individuals based onrace in modern, globalizing culture, the term "ethnicity" has been adoptedto include cultural and social aspects as well as biological, linguistic,and geographic characteristics. However, few realized the social implications ofthat concept in that many of the "scattered tribes" were racially andculturally distinct from one another. " Although all of these groups shared a common faith and nationalidentity, there remained a physical and cultural difference between thethree that resulted in clear social, economic, and political stratificationstemming from perceived differences and attitudes of racial superiority. [4] As a result, a firm social hierarchy resulted, with the Ashkenazi on top,who enjoy the greatest economic and political power, followed by theSephardim, and finally, by the Ethiopian, who go so far as to complain: Our children are educated in a colonialist system that does not prepare them to compete in the future job market like every Israeli child. According to the American Anthropological Association, the concept of"race" carries with it a long history of ideas of superiority andinferiority, where, "Perceived behavioral features and differences inintellect were inextricably linked to race and served as a basis for theranking, in terms of superiority, of races.
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