ANTH 23 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Polyethnicity, Affirmative Action, Classical Liberalism
Document Summary
Method of identifying oneself and one"s community. Subjectively and socially constructed, dynamic, relational, and negotiable. Involves agreed upon social practices and real or imagined sense of shared history and/or kinship. In contrast, race tends to focus on physical differences, is socially imposed, hierarchical, and more exclusive. Historically thought as biological because people judge others by physical. Norwegian anthropologist trained in the uk, research in pakistan/iran and working in the us. Moved anthropology away from viewing culture as discrete and isolated and ethnicity as a primordial mode of identity. Interaction among groups is central to study of ethnicity and anthropology. Categories of ascription and identification by the actors themselves . They are not static, thus he examines how they are produced and maintained. Boundary maintenance is central to this (10) Primarily a mode of ascription consisting of overt expressions of identity and values by which one judges and claims to be judged.
