Ethnicity is a group of people united by common characteristics: objective or subjective. Various directions in ethnology (ethnography) include in these characteristics origin, language, culture, territory of residence, identity, etc. In Soviet and Russian ethnography it is considered the main type of ethnic community.
In Russian, the term “ethnos” has long been synonymous with the concept of “people”. The concept of “ethnicity” was introduced into scientific circulation in 1923 by the Russian emigrant scientist S. M. Shirokogorov.
Ethnicity
Ethnicity can be represented as a form of social organization of cultural differences, consisting of those characteristics that the members of the ethnic community themselves consider significant for themselves, and which underlie their self-awareness. These characteristics also include the possession of one or more common names, common elements of culture, the idea of a common origin and, as a consequence, the presence of a common historical memory. At the same time, there is an association of oneself with a special geographical territory and a sense of group solidarity.
The definition of ethnicity is also based on the cultural self-identification of an ethnic community in relation to other communities (ethnic, social, political) with which it has fundamental connections. As a rule, there is a significant difference between the intragroup and external ideas about ethnicity: to determine the ethnic community, there are both objective and subjective criteria. Differences in anthropological type, geographical origin, economic specialization, religion, language, and even features of material culture (food, clothing, etc.) are used as such criteria.
Concepts and theories of ethnicity
Among ethnologists there is no unity in the approach to the definition of ethnos and ethnicity. In this regard, several of the most popular theories and concepts are highlighted. Thus, the Soviet ethnographic school worked in line with primordialism, but today the highest administrative post in official ethnology in Russia is occupied by constructivist supporter V. A. Tishkov.
Primordialism
This approach assumes that a person’s ethnicity is an objective fact that has its basis in nature or society. Therefore, ethnicity cannot be created artificially or imposed. Ethnicity is a community with really existing, registered characteristics. You can point out the characteristics by which an individual belongs to a given ethnic group, and by which one ethnic group differs from another.
"Evolutionary-historical direction." Proponents of this trend view ethnic groups as social communities that arose as a result of the historical process.
Dualistic theory of ethnicity
This concept was developed by employees of the Institute of Ethnography of the USSR Academy of Sciences (now the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences) led by Yu. V. Bromley. This concept presupposes the existence of ethnic groups in 2 senses:
In a narrow sense, an ethnos was called “ethnicos” and was understood as “a stable, intergenerational set of people historically established in a territory, possessing not only common features, but also relatively stable characteristics of culture (including language) and psyche, as well as an awareness of their unity and difference from all other similar formations (self-awareness), fixed in the self-name (ethnonym).”
In a broad sense, it was called an “ethnosocial organism (ESO)” and was understood as an ethnos existing within the state: “ESO is that part of the corresponding ethnicos that is located on a compact territory within one political (potestar) entity and thus represents a socially defined -economic integrity."
Sociobiological direction
This direction assumes the existence of ethnicity due to the biological essence of man. Ethnicity is primordial, that is, initially characteristic of people.
Pierre van den Berghe's theory
Pierre L. van den Berghe transferred certain provisions of ethology and zoopsychology to human behavior, that is, he assumed that many phenomena of social life are determined by the biological side of human nature.
Ethnicity, according to P. van den Berghe, is an “extended kinship group.”
Van den Berghe explains the existence of ethnic communities by a person’s genetic predisposition to kin selection (nepotism). Its essence lies in the fact that altruistic behavior (the ability to sacrifice oneself) reduces the chances of a given individual to pass on its genes to the next generation, but at the same time increases the possibility of its genes being passed on by blood relatives (indirect gene transfer). By helping relatives survive and pass on their genes to the next generation, the individual thereby contributes to the reproduction of his own gene pool. Since this type of behavior makes the group evolutionarily more stable than similar other groups in which altruistic behavior is absent, the “altruism genes” are maintained by natural selection.
Passionary theory of ethnos (Gumilyov’s theory)
The original passionary theory of ethnogenesis was created by Lev Gumilev.
In it, an ethnos is a group of people naturally formed on the basis of an original behavioral stereotype, existing as a systemic integrity (structure), opposing itself to all other groups, based on a sense of complementarity and forming an ethnic tradition common to all its representatives.
An ethnos is one of the types of ethnic systems, it is always part of superethnoses, and consists of subethnoses, convicts and consortia.
The unique combination of landscapes in which an ethnic group was formed is called its place of development.
Constructivism
According to the theory of constructivism, an ethnic group is an artificial formation, the result of the purposeful activity of the people themselves. That is, it is assumed that ethnicity and ethnos are not a given, but the result of creation. Those characteristics that distinguish representatives of one ethnic group from another are called ethnic markers and are formed on a different basis, depending on how to most effectively separate a given ethnic group from another. Ethnic markers can be: physical appearance, religion, language, etc.
Thus, V. A. Tishkov gives the following definition: “People” in the sense of an ethnic community - a group of people whose members have one or more common names and common elements of culture, have a myth (version) about a common origin and thus have a kind of common historical memory, can associate themselves with a specific geographical area, and also demonstrate a sense of group solidarity.
Instrumentalism
This concept considers ethnicity as a tool with which people achieve certain goals, and, unlike primordialism and constructivism, is not focused on finding a definition of ethnos and ethnicity. Thus, any activity and activity of ethnic groups is considered as a purposeful activity of ethnic elites in the struggle for power and privileges. In everyday life, ethnicity remains in a latent state, but if necessary, it is mobilized.
In line with instrumentalism, two directions are distinguished: elitist instrumentalism and economic instrumentalism.
Elitist instrumentalism
This direction focuses on the role of elites in the mobilization of ethnic feelings.
Economic instrumentalism
This direction explains interethnic tensions and conflicts in terms of economic inequality among members of different ethnic groups.
Ethnogenesis
The basic conditions for the emergence of an ethnos - common territory and language - subsequently act as its main features. At the same time, an ethnos can be formed from multilingual elements, formed and consolidated in different territories in the process of migration (gypsies, etc.). In the conditions of early long-distance migrations of “Homo sapiens” from Africa and modern globalization, ethnic groups as cultural and linguistic communities moving freely throughout the planet are becoming increasingly important.
Additional conditions for the formation of an ethnic community can be a common religion, racial proximity of the components of an ethnic group, or the presence of significant mestizo (transitional) groups.
In the course of ethnogenesis, under the influence of the characteristics of economic activity in certain natural conditions and other reasons, features of material and spiritual culture, everyday life, and group psychological characteristics specific to a given ethnic group are formed. Members of an ethnos develop a common self-awareness, in which the idea of their common origin occupies a prominent place. The external manifestation of this self-awareness is the presence of a common self-name - an ethnonym.
The formed ethnic community acts as a social organism, self-reproducing through predominantly ethnically homogeneous marriages and the transfer of language, culture, traditions, ethnic orientation, etc. to the new generation.
V. Shnirelman emphasizes that the passionary theory of ethnogenesis does not take into account that ethnic identity (ethnicity) can be floating, situational, symbolic. It is not necessarily related to linguistic affiliation. Sometimes it is based on religion (Kryashens, or baptized Tatars), economic system (reindeer Koryaks-Chavchuvens and sedentary Koryaks-Nymyllans), race (African-Americans), historical tradition (Scots). People can change their ethnicity, as happened in the 19th century in the Balkans, where, moving from rural life to trade, a person turned from a Bulgarian to a Greek, and the language factor did not serve as an obstacle to this, because people were fluent in both languages.
Anthropological classification. Ethnicity and race
The basis of anthropological classification is the principle of dividing ethnic groups into races. This classification reflects the biological, genetic and, ultimately, historical kinship between ethnic groups.
Science recognizes the discrepancy between the racial and ethnic divisions of humanity: members of one ethnic group can belong to both the same and different races (racial types), and, conversely, representatives of the same race (racial type) can belong to different ethnic groups, etc.
A fairly common misconception is expressed in the confusion of the concepts of “ethnicity” and “race”, and as a result, erroneous concepts are used, for example, such as “Russian race”.
Ethnicity and culture
Culture - it is difficult and, perhaps, even impossible to give a universal, comprehensive definition for this concept. The same can be said about “ethnic culture”, since it manifests itself and is realized in different ways and ways, so it can be understood and interpreted in different ways.
As you know, culture in general has many definitions. Some experts count them up to several hundred. But all these definitions “fit”, in fact, into several basic meanings (aspects), thanks to which they become more or less visible.
There are several approaches to the study of culture:
- value-based (axiological - the connection of universal human values);
- symbolic (culture - a system of symbols);
- organizational
- activity approach.
The identified aspects of culture - axiological, symbolic, organizational, activity - are closely interconnected and seem to be the most relevant. So, for example: the basic ideas about the world and beliefs of an ethnos (symbolic aspect) are realized and reflected in the way of life (organizational aspect). And ultimately they are formalized into a certain value-normative system - with its own priorities and peculiar connections between individual value guidelines (axiological aspect), and the lifestyle and value system, in turn, determine the forms of behavior and methods of activity of members of the ethnic group (activity aspect).
Finally, typical forms of behavior and methods of activity serve as reinforcement and support for the prevailing ideas and beliefs in an ethnic group (just as, for example, systematic prayer supports faith in a person and does not allow it to weaken and fade away). It is known that the so-called ethnicity is, first of all, and mainly the culture of an ethnos; it is this that determines the “borders” of an ethnos, the differences between each of them from others.
Numerous historical studies by ethnologists from different countries convince us that throughout human history (from the primitive state to the present day) people have had and still have a need for knowledge not only about their lives, traditions and customs, but also about the culture of surrounding peoples . The presence of such knowledge now makes it easier to navigate the world around us, to feel more reliable and confident in it. For several millennia, the accumulation of information and data of various kinds about many peoples of the world has continued, and already in ancient times attempts were made not to limit this knowledge only to a simple presentation or description. Thus, even in ancient times, some authors made attempts to bring numerous empirical materials into a system and classify various peoples based on their economic and cultural characteristics. However, these attempts were mainly speculative and therefore did not achieve their goals.
Ethnic and interethnic communities
Ethnic communities
In Soviet ethnography, the idea of a hierarchy of ethnic communities was put forward, related to the fact that one person can belong (consider himself) simultaneously to several ethnic communities, one of which completely includes the other. For example, a Russian may consider himself a Don Cossack and at the same time a Slav. This hierarchy is:
- elementary ethnic units (microethnic units). This level mainly includes the family - an elementary social unit, which plays a significant role in the reproduction of an ethnic group. A person (ethnophor) can also be considered at this level as a direct bearer of ethnic properties.
- subethnic divisions and ethnographic groups. Subethnic groups occupy an intermediate position between consortia and convixions on the one hand and ethnic groups on the other.
- main ethnic division. This is actually “ethnos”.
- macro-ethnic communities or meta-ethnic communities - formations that cover several ethnic groups, but have ethnic properties of less intensity than the ethnic groups included in it. The following macro-ethnic communities are distinguished: meta-ethnopolitical, meta-ethnolinguistic, meta-ethno-confessional, meta-ethno-economic, etc.
Ethnographic communities
Unlike ethnic communities, people do not realize that they belong to an ethnographic community, and therefore such communities do not have self-names, but are identified as a result of scientific research.
- ethnographic group
- historical-ethnographic area
Hierarchical classification of ethnic groups
In the Soviet school of ethnography, in line with the dualistic concept of ethnos, the following gradation of ethnic groups in the broad sense (ESO) was adopted; later this gradation was transferred to ethnos in general:
- A clan is a group of people that is based on blood ties.
- Tribe is an ethnos of the era of the primitive communal system or the period of its decomposition.
- A nationality is a completely unformed community of people united by a common space, culture, language, etc., in which there are still significant internal differences.
- Nation is currently the most commonly used concept in ethnographic literature. Corresponds to a developed industrial and post-industrial society with a strong self-identification. At the same time, in Soviet ethnography, a division into socialist and capitalist nations was adopted, which, as a result of the collapse of the socialist system, lost its meaning.
Ethnicity and nation
The concepts of “ethnicity” and “nation” are often equated. In the domestic literature devoted to this issue, it was usually clarified that a nation is not just an ethnic group, but its highest form, which replaced a nationality.
However, some researchers clearly formulate the differences between a nation and an ethnos, pointing to the different nature of the origin of the concepts of “ethnicity” and “nation”. Thus, in their opinion, an ethnos is characterized by supra-individuality and stability, repeatability of cultural patterns. In contrast, for a nation, the determining factor becomes the process of its own awareness based on the synthesis of traditional and new elements, and the actual ethnic identification criteria (language, way of life, etc.) of belonging fade into the background. In a nation, those aspects that ensure supra-ethnicity, the synthesis of ethnic, inter-ethnic and other ethnic components (political, religious, etc.) come to the fore.
Ethnicity and statehood
Ethnic groups are subject to changes in the course of ethnic processes - consolidation, assimilation, etc. For a more sustainable existence, an ethnic group strives to create its own socio-territorial organization (state). Modern history knows many examples of how various ethnic groups, despite their large numbers, were unable to solve the problem of socio-territorial organization. These include the ethnic groups of Jews, Palestinian Arabs, Kurds, divided between Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey. Other examples of successful or unsuccessful ethnic expansion are the expansion of the Russian Empire, the Arab conquests in North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula, the Tatar-Mongol invasion, and the Spanish colonization of South and Central America.
Ethnic identity
Ethnic identity is an integral part of a person’s social identity, awareness of one’s belonging to a certain ethnic community. In its structure, two main components are usually distinguished - cognitive (knowledge, ideas about the characteristics of one’s own group and awareness of oneself as a member of it based on certain characteristics) and affective (assessment of the qualities of one’s own group, attitude towards membership in it, the significance of this membership).
One of the first to study the development of a child’s awareness of belonging to a national group was the Swiss scientist J. Piaget. In a 1951 study, he identified three stages in the development of ethnic characteristics:
- at 6-7 years old, the child acquires the first fragmentary knowledge of his ethnicity;
- at 8-9 years old, the child already clearly identifies himself with his ethnic group, based on the nationality of his parents, place of residence, and native language;
- in early adolescence (10-11 years old), ethnic identity is fully formed; the child notes the uniqueness of history and the specifics of traditional everyday culture as the characteristics of different peoples.
External circumstances can force a person of any age to rethink their ethnic identity, as happened with a resident of Minsk, a Catholic, born in the Brest region bordering Poland. He “was listed as a Pole and considered himself a Pole. At the age of 35 I went to Poland. There he became convinced that his religion unites him with the Poles, but otherwise he is Belarusian. From that time on, he realized himself as a Belarusian” (Klimchuk, 1990, p. 95).
The formation of ethnic identity is often a rather painful process. For example, a boy whose parents moved to Moscow from Uzbekistan before his birth speaks Russian at home and at school; however, at school, due to his Asian name and dark skin color, he receives an offensive nickname. Later, having reflected on this situation, to the question “What is your nationality?” he may answer “Uzbek”, but maybe not. The son of an American and a Japanese woman may turn out to be an outcast both in Japan, where he will be teased as “long-nosed” and “butter-eater,” and in the United States. At the same time, a child who grew up in Moscow, whose parents identify themselves as Belarusians, most likely will not have such problems at all.
The following dimensions of ethnic identity are distinguished:
- monoethnic identity with one’s ethnic group, when a person has a predominant positive image of one’s ethnic group with a positive attitude towards other ethnic groups;
- altered ethnic identity of a person living in a multiethnic environment, when a foreign ethnic group is regarded as having a higher status (economic, social, etc.) than one’s own. This is typical for many representatives of national minorities, for second-generation immigrants (see also the article assimilation (sociology));
- biethnic identity, when a person living in a multiethnic environment owns both cultures and perceives them as equally positive;
- marginal ethnic identity, when a person living in a multiethnic environment does not sufficiently speak any of the cultures, which leads to intrapersonal conflicts (a feeling of failure, the meaninglessness of existence, aggressiveness, etc.);
- weak (or even zero) ethnic identity, when a person does not identify himself with any ethnic group, but declares a cosmopolitan (I am Asian, I am European, I am a citizen of the world) or civic (I am a democrat, I am a communist) identity.
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Ethnos? The answer to this question is not always the same. The word "ethnos" itself is of Greek origin, but it has nothing in common with today's meaning. People is exactly how it is translated, and in Greece there were several concepts of this word. Namely, the word “ethnicity” was derogatory in nature - “herd”, “swarm”, “flock” and in most cases was applied to animals.
What is ethnicity today? Ethnicity is a group of people that was formed historically and was united by common cultural and linguistic characteristics. In Russian, the concept of “ethnos” is close in meaning to the concepts of “people” or “tribe”. And to make it more clear, both of these concepts should be characterized.
A people is a specific group of people that is distinguished by common characteristics. This includes territory, language, religion, culture, historical past. One of the main signs is, but this is not the only condition. There are quite a lot of peoples who speak the same language. For example, Austrians, Germans and some Swiss use German. Or the Irish, Scots and Welsh, who, one might say, have completely switched to English, but at the same time do not consider themselves English. This means that in this case the word “people” can be replaced by the term “ethnic group”.
A tribe is also a group of people, but one that feels related to each other. A tribe may not have one compact territory of residence, and its claims to any territory may not be recognized by other groups. By one definition, a tribe has common characteristics that are clearly distinct: origin, language, traditions, religion. Another definition states that it is enough to have faith in a common bond, and you are already considered one tribe. The latter definition is more suitable for political unions.
But let's return to the main question - “what is ethnicity”. It began its formation 100 thousand years ago, and before that there were such concepts as family, then clan, and the clan completed everything. Mainstream scholars interpret differently. Some name only language and culture, others add a general location, and still others add a general psychological essence.
Each ethnic group has its own behavioral stereotype and, of course, a unique structure. Internal ethnicity is a specific norm of relations between the individual and the collective and between the individuals themselves. This norm is tacitly accepted in all areas of everyday life and is perceived as the only way to live together. And for members of a given ethnic group, this form is not a burden, since they are accustomed to it. And vice versa, when a representative of one ethnic group comes into contact with the norms of behavior of another, he may become confused and greatly surprised by the eccentricities of an unfamiliar people.
Since ancient times, our country has combined various ethnic groups. Some ethnic groups of Russia were part of it from the very beginning, while others joined gradually, at different stages of history. But they all have equal rights and responsibilities to the state and are part of the people of Russia. They have a common education system, common legal and legal norms and, of course, a common Russian language.
All Russians are obliged to know the diversity of the ethnic group of their country and get acquainted with the culture of each of them. Have at least a basic understanding of what an ethnic group is. Without this, harmonious existence within a single state is impossible. Unfortunately, over the past 100 years, 9 nationalities have disappeared as an ethnic group and another 7 are on the verge of extinction. For example, the Evenks (aboriginals of the Amur region) have a stable tendency to disappear. There are already about 1,300 of them left. As you can see, the numbers speak for themselves, and the process of disappearance of the ethnic group continues irreversibly.
Among the concepts that define and classify the human community, ethnic differentiation seems to be the most important. We will talk about what ethnicity is and how it should be understood in the context of various branches and theories of ethnology.
Definition
First of all, let's deal with the formal definition. Thus, most often, regarding the concept of “ethnos,” the definition sounds like “a stable human community that has developed over the course of history.” It is understood that this society must be united by certain common characteristics, such as: culture, way of life, language, religion, identity, habitat, and the like. Thus, it is obvious that “people”, “nation” and similar concepts and “ethnicity” are similar. Therefore, their definitions correlate with each other, and the terms themselves are often used as synonyms. The word “ethnos” was introduced into scientific circulation in 1923 by S. M. Shirokogorov, a Russian emigrant.
Concepts and theories of ethnicity
The scientific discipline that studies the phenomenon we are considering is called ethnology, and among its representatives there are different approaches and points of view on the concept of “ethnos”. The definition of the Soviet school, for example, was built from the standpoint of so-called primordialism. But in modern Russian science, constructivism predominates.
Primordialism
The theory of primordialism proposes to approach the concept of “ethnicity” as an objective given, which is external to a person and determined by a number of characteristics independent of the individual. Thus, ethnicity cannot be changed or artificially generated. It is given from birth and is determined on the basis of objective traits and characteristics.
Dualistic theory of ethnicity
In the context of this theory, the concept of “ethnicity” has its definition in two forms - narrow and broad, which determines the dualism of the concept. In a narrow sense, this term refers to groups of people who have a stable connection between generations, limited to a certain space and having a number of stable identifying characteristics - cultural codes, language, religion, mental characteristics, consciousness of their community, and so on.
And in a broad sense, it is proposed to understand an ethnos as the entire complex of social entities united by common state borders and an economic and political system. Thus, we see that in the first case, “people”, “nationality” and similar concepts and “ethnicity” are similar, therefore their definitions are similar. And in the second case, all national correlates are erased, and civic identity comes to the fore.
Sociobiological theory
Another theory, called sociobiological, puts the main emphasis in defining the concept of “ethnicity” on biological characteristics that unite groups of people. Thus, a person’s belonging to one or another ethnic group is given to him, like gender and other biological characteristics.
Passionary theory of ethnos
This theory is otherwise called the Gumilyov theory, after the name of its author. It assumes that a structural association of people, formed on the basis of certain behavioral consciousness, according to this hypothesis, is formed according to which serves as the basis for building an ethnic tradition.
Constructivism
The concept of “ethnicity,” the definition of which is a subject of debate and disagreement among ethnologists, is defined from the point of view of constructivism as an artificial formation and is considered as the result of purposeful human activity. In other words, this theory argues that ethnicity is a variable and not an objective given, like gender and nationality. One ethnic group differs from another by characteristics that, within the framework of this theory, are called ethnic markers. They are created on a different basis, for example, religion, language, appearance (in that part of it that can be changed).
Instrumentalism
This radical theory argues that ethnicity is shaped by interested individuals, called the ethnic elite, as a tool to achieve certain goals. But she does not pay attention to ethnicity itself, as a system of identity. Ethnicity, according to this hypothesis, is only a tool, and in everyday life it remains in a state of latency. Within the theory, there are two directions that differentiate ethnic groups by the nature of their application - elitist and economic instrumentalism. The first of them focuses on the role that ethnic elites play in awakening and maintaining feelings and self-awareness within society. Economic instrumentalism focuses on the economic state of various groups. Among other things, he postulates economic inequality as the cause of conflicts between members of different
ETHNOS, -a, m. (2nd half of the 20th century). Historically established stable social community of people; tribe, people, nation. The state of the German ethnic group in Russia. This is typical for any ethnic group..
Greek ethnos - people, tribe.
L.M. Bash, A.V. Bobrova, G.L. Vyacheslova, R.S. Kimyagarova, E.M. Sendrowicz. Modern dictionary of foreign words. Interpretation, word usage, word formation, etymology. M., 2001, p. 922.
Classification of ethnic groups
CLASSIFICATION OF ETHNOSIS - the distribution of ethnic groups of the world into semantic groups depending on certain characteristics and parameters of this type of community of people. There are several classifications and groups, but the most common of them are the areal and ethnolinguistic classifications. In the areal classification, peoples are grouped into large regions, called historical-ethnographic or traditional-cultural regions, within which, in the process of long-term historical development, a certain cultural community has developed. This commonality can be traced primarily in various elements of material culture, as well as in individual phenomena of spiritual culture. The areal classification can be considered as a kind of historical and ethnographic zoning...
Ethnicity
ETHNICITY is a widely used category in science that denotes the existence of culturally distinctive (ethnic) groups and identities. In domestic social science, the term “ethnos” is more widely used in all cases when we are talking about ethnic communities (peoples) of various historical and evolutionary types (tribe, nationality, nation). The concept of ethnicity presupposes the existence of homogeneous, functional and static characteristics that distinguish a given group from others that have different parameters of the same characteristics.
Ethnicity (Lopukhov, 2013)
ETHNOS is a historically emerged, localized, stable, large group of people, united by a common landscape, territory, language, economic structure, culture, social system, mentality, i.e. an ethnic group combines both biological and social properties, this phenomenon and natural, anthropological and sociocultural. Only tribes, nationalities and nations are classified as ethnic groups. They were preceded by another genetic chain: family, clan, clan.
Ethnos (DES, 1985)
ETHNOS (from the Greek ethnos - society, group, tribe, people), a historically established stable community of people - tribe, nationality, nation. The main conditions for the emergence of an ethnos are the common territory and language, which usually then act as signs of the ethnos; Ethnic groups are often formed from multilingual groups (for example, many nations of America). In the course of the development of economic relations, under the influence of the characteristics of the natural environment, contacts with other peoples, etc.
Ethnic group (NiRM, 2000)
ETHNIC GROUP, the most common designation in science for an ethnic community (people, ), which is understood as a group of people who have a common ethnic identity, share a common name and elements of culture and are in fundamental ties with other communities, including state ones. The historical conditions for the emergence of an ethnic group (ethnogenesis) are considered to be the presence of a common territory, economy and language.
Ethnos (Kuznetsov, 2007)
ETHNOSIS, ethnic community - a set of people who have a common culture, speak, as a rule, the same language and are aware of both their commonality and their difference from members of other similar human groups. The ethnomes are Russians, French, Czechs, Serbs, Scots, Walloons, etc. An ethnos may consist of: a) an ethnic core - the main part of the ethnos living compactly in a certain territory; b) ethnic periphery - compact groups of representatives of a given ethnic group, one way or another separated from its main part, and, finally, c) ethnic diasporas - individual members of an ethnic group, scattered across territories occupied by other ethnic communities. A number of ethnic groups are divided into
historically established in def. territory is a stable community of people who have relatively stable common features and characteristics of culture and language, and are also aware of their internal. unity and difference from other communities, which is recorded in the self-name (ethnonym). The ancient Greeks used the word “E.” to designate other peoples who were not Greeks. In Russian, the analogue of the term E. was the concept of “people”. In scientific The concept of E. was introduced by the Russian scientist S. M. Shirokogorov in 1923. Currently, the concept of E. denotes a stable large group of people, represented by a tribe, nationality, or nation. Ethnic groups experience ethnotransformational, ethnoevolutionary and ethnosocial processes. Basic the conditions of ethnogenesis are a common identity (awareness of one’s unity and difference from other similar associations), territory, language and culture. A. Nalchadzhyan believes that to characterize each phase of ethnogenesis, the following must be indicated: 1) the characteristic perception of leading individuals and social groups of the ethnic group and their ideology; 2) basic or leading motives of behavior; 3) basic adaptive mechanisms and their complexes in problem situations; 4) basic adaptive strategies; 5) basic criteria of valor and heroism and other values of E.; 6) predominant types of family and family relationships; 7) the most typical forms of relations towards foreign ethnic groups, their religion, ideology and culture in general; 8) interethnic level. and intra-ethnic. aggressiveness and typical forms of aggressive actions; 9) ethnic state. self-awareness, ethnonym, etc. Subethnic groups can exist within one ethnic group. Subethnos - ethnic. education, which exists within E. and, realizing its unity with it, has a different specificity. features of traditional everyday culture, dialect and less pronounced ethnicity. properties. Representatives of the subethnic group have a dual identity, since they consider themselves at the same time. and representatives of the subethnic group and E. In some cases, a superethnos is formed on the basis of Ethnicity. He is ethnic. system, which consists of several. E., which are mainly are formed in one region and are interconnected politically, economically. and ideological factors. E. as part of a superethnos are formally equal and not subordinate subjects. One E. can be included in several. superethnoses, which can have a wide variety of levels and manifestations of consolidation. Examples of superethnic groups can be: the Arab world (Arabs), the Slavic world (Slavs), the Indo-European language family, etc. There are types of ethnicities. communities: clan (clan), tribe, people. A clan or clan consists of primitive communal groups of people, the members of which considered themselves blood relatives, and were also united by def. economic and societies. connections. A tribe is a community of people that unites several people. clans and is distinguished by unique dialectal and ritual properties, and also has a common formal political administrative institution (leader, council of elders, etc.). In social psychology, Ethnicity is considered as a historically established stable large group of people, the main property of which is the awareness of themselves as its members on the basis of certain ethno-differentiating characteristics. Lit.: Bromley Yu. V. Essays on the theory of ethnos. M., 1983; Gumilyov L.N. Ethnogenesis and biosphere of the Earth. M., 2007; Nalchadzhyan A. Ethnogenesis and assimilation (psychological aspects). M., 2004. T. I. Pashukova
ETHNOS (ETHNIC COMMUNITY)
from Greek ethnos - tribe, group, people) - a historically established stable collection of people in a certain territory, possessing a single language, common relatively stable features of culture and psyche, as well as a common self-awareness (awareness of its unity and difference from all other similar entities), recorded in the self-name . The indispensable conditions for the emergence of E. are a common territory, language, and unity of mental makeup, and its characteristic features are considered to be: 1) self-name (ethnonym), in certain cases associated with the name of the territory of residence (toponym); 2) territorial integrity as a condition for the formation and existence of E.; 3) the presence of anthropological (racial) characteristics; 4) manifestation of the characteristics of culture (material culture - tools, housing, clothing, etc.; spiritual culture - education system, science, literature, art, etc.). The formation of economic life usually occurs on the basis of the unity of territory and economic life. However, as a result of migrations caused by various historical reasons, the territory of modern settlement of Egypt is not always compact, and many peoples can be settled within several states. Therefore, in domestic science, a distinction is made between the concepts of E. in the narrow sense of the word (called ethnikos) and the ethnosocial organism. All groups of a given Ethnic group belong to a single ethnic group, no matter where they live. An ethnosocial organism is necessarily associated with the state. Features that express the systemic properties of an existing ethnicity and separate it from another ethnic group include language, folk art, traditions, customs, and norms of behavior. The most important distinguishing feature of an ethnos is the presence of self-awareness, i.e. E. is only that cultural community that recognizes itself as such, distinguishing itself from other communities. In Russian science, it is customary to divide E. into three stage types. The earliest type includes tribes characteristic of the primitive communal system. The second type of economics - nationality - is usually associated with slave-owning and feudal formations. The third type of economics—the nation—emerges with the development of capitalist relations and the intensification of economic ties. However, such a three-member division of E. does not reflect the entire diversity of forms of ethnic communities existing on Earth.