1. How do we Identify Ourselves and Others?
March 30, 2005

2. Important Questions
How has “race” been shaped by both kinds of colonialism?
How have ideas of race/ethnicity changed over time?
What relationships are there between nationalism, race and ethnicity?

3. Identity Categories Ethnicity Gender Sexuality Nationality
Nation-States
Religion
Are these identities ascribed or achieved?

4. Identity Cultural classification system
Self/Other; Us/Them
How one defines who they are in relation to others.
High School: Nerds, Jocks, Geeks, Preppies, Cheerleaders, Stoners, Goths, Alternative People,

5. Identity is… Fluid and Social Context Specific
Called by multiple terms
Same terms have different meanings for different people
Imbued with meaning

6. Common Identities, ca. 1900 Class National Origin Geography
Gentleman, Lady, Bum, Hobo
National Origin
Irish, Scottish, Italian, Indian, Chinaman, Negro
Geography
Yankee, Carpetbagger

7. Common Identities, ca 2005 Class National Origin Geography Occupation
White Collar, Blue Collar, Yuppie, Redneck
National Origin
Hyphenated Americans
Geography
Southerner, Midwesterner, West Coaster
Occupation
Academic, Politician, Entrepreneur
Age/Generation
Baby boomer, “Greatest Generation,” Generation X

15. Gender Woman: Gender Female: Sex Gender often varies with age
“Third” Sexes:
Eunuch
Hijra
Two Spirits

16. Sexuality Heterosexual Homosexual Bisexual Transexual Other Examples:
Etoro (New Guinea)
Azande (Sudan)
Ancient Greece

17. Ethnicity Perceived Similarities Biology Culture Examples: Language
Skin Color
Physical Features
Body Shape/Size
Culture
Language
Religion
Nationality
Lifestyle
Examples:
Irish
Jewish
Japanese, Korean or Asian?

18. Nation, State, Nation-State
Nation: Single cultural group (Cherokee, Chinese)
State: independent, centrally organized political unit
Nation-State: Combined political and cultural units, basis of global political system in 20th century.

19. Colonialism, Ethnicity and Nation-States

20. Colonialism, Ethnicity and Nation-States

21. Ethnicity Matters Rwanda Twa (Pygmy) 1% Hutu (Bantu farmers) 84%
Tutsi (Hemitic pastoralists) 15%

22. Ethnicity Matters

23. Ethnicity Matters