Race and Ethnicity

1. Race and Ethnicity A Brief Review

2. Ethnicity vs Racism • Race & Racism • Social construct • Belief in biological superiority of a group • Strength, IQ, skin color • Static & discrete categorization • Ethnicity • Cultural identity, background, affiliation • Based on self perceived & group assoc. • Dynamic, multi-faceted

3. Pseudo-Scientific Racism • “Scientific Racism” • 19th & 20th justify racial superiority • “Social Darwinism” • AKA biological determinism • Social traits are inherited • => Eugenics Movement • 1865, Sir Francis Galton • Genetic purity = social utopia • Started & promoted by Americans • Foundation to Nazi “Final Solution”

4. Ethnic Groups • Group incorporated into a state • Migration or conquest • Maintains distinctive cultural/linguistic traditions • Sense of separate, shared & age-old identity • Descent • Possess identifiable features

5. Attributes of Ethnic Groups • Ethnic boundary Markers • Overt factors demonstrating or denoting group membership • Ethnic Traits: • Language • Religion • Music • Food Celtic Cross

6. Stability of Ethnic Groups • dynamic grouping • Groups vanish • People move btw groups • Ethnogenesis • Formation of new group • Language & religious revivals • Fission & Fusion of old groups

7. Ethnic Groups & Politics • Many ethnic groups renounce legitimacy of central governments • Ex: Meratus, Indonesia • Primarily legacy of European Colonialism • Berlin Conference • Most desire some kind of political autonomy • Why unlikely?

8. Ethnic Groups and History • Berlin Conference (1884-1885) • One of the most important contributors to modern conflict worldwide • European Leaders claim Africa • Divide resources and people • European powers assume sovereignty • Africa not the only continent to have imposed borders • Middle East & Americas too • People divided between 2 or more European colonies • Divides homogenous ethnic groups/kin groups • Different groups circumscribed by same border • Mixes different ethnic groups in unequal proportions

9. Berlin Conference: End of Colonialism • Europeans grant independence to colonies • Conflicts arise • Maintained imposed boundaries • Not all ethnic groups were equally represented • Domination by majority group • Dominated by powerful and militant minority • Domination by non-indigenous ethnic minority

10. Ethnic Conflict • Conflicts arise because of: • Ideological hatred • Resource shortages • Differences in the distribution of wealth / quality of life • Gain more autonomy • Gain equitable treatment • Subordinate, oppress, eliminate an ethnic group • Obtain and maintain power • Small conflicts often become large conflicts • Often supported by, or at least allowed by, the state

11. How do ethnic conflicts get resolved? 1. Political accommodation • Give them what they want 2. Ethnic homogenization • the elimination of the rival ethnic groups • 3 forms: • passive assimilation • forced assimilation • genocide

12. Ethnic homogenization • Passive assimilation • Ethnic group joins dominant group willingly • Forced assimilation • Ethnic group joins dominant group by force • Government adopted policies • Deliberate and systematic • Destroy or change the ethnic identity of a particular group

13. Solutions to ethnic conflict • Political Accommodation • Give dissatisfied sub nationalities what they want • Let them return to homeland • Their own land and independence • Their own country • Rare • Governments reluctance • overpopulation • Competition for resources • People feel established

14. Forced Assimilation • Elimination of ethnic boundary markers • Language, religion, modes of dress, etc. • Why is forced assimilation so effective? • Lose identity • Lose social cohesion • Divide and conquer • Some convert & some hold onto tradition • Ones who convert used to persuade/dominate/kill others

15. Ethnic Cleansing & Genocide • Genocide • Physical elimination of unwanted group(s) • Ethnic Cleansing • Systematic removal of an ethnic and/or religious group from an region • Characteristics • Migration • Mass death • Rape • Starvation • Slavery

16. Ethnocide:destroying cultural identities • State level practices developed to strip ethnic identity from a group • 1. Frontier situation • 2. Military Intervention • 3. Extension of Govn’t Control • 4. Land Policies • 5. Cultural Modification Policies • 6. Education for Progress • 7. Economic Development

17. Ethnocide: OrangAsli • Malaysian Aborigines • H-G’s, swiddenagr, arboriculture, etc • 1961, Malaysian Govn’t = “Integrate” • Market economy • Assert political control • Assimilate to Malay culture

18. Ethnocide: History of OrangAsli • 15th Cent. = Muslim rulers culturally unite Kingdom • “Sakai” name given to stupid, nomadic, uncivilized, dark skinned people fit for exploitation • 1800’s British Rule • Outlaw of slavery but pretty much left them alone • The “Emergency” • At end of war, communist guerillas retreat to interior • British resettle OrangAsli in camps = “New Villages” • No sanitation, shelter or nutritionally adequate food • Many die of disease, malnutrition, & demoralization • British opt for kindness over coercion

19. Ethnocide: Orang Asli • 1961, Post-Independence • “long-term policy to absorb people into the stream of national life and not destroy their traditional way of living and culture” (Jones 1968: 302) • Islamic Affairs Section of Prime Minister’s Department • 1980’s shift in policy to Assimilation • integration into Malaysian society as Islamic subgroup • political advantages to claiming OrangAsli peoples as Malaysian • Integration Strategy • Resettlement into accessible areas • Destruction of political autonomy • Transforming trad. econ => market econ. • Adoption of Islam = crucial to Malaysian identity

20. Ethnic Conflict: Genocide • The systematic destruction of a “people” • Conflicts arise b/c of: • Ideological hatred • Resource shortages • Diffs in distribution of wealth/ quality of life • Gain equitable treatment • Obtain/maintain power • Escalation of local to regional conflict • Often, supported or condoned by state

21. Genocide: Rwanda • Result of Economic & Political in capitalistic world system • Colonial history • Price of coffee • World Bank & IMF policies • interests of Western Nations • International Aid Interests • Western attitudes toward Africa • Pre-Colonial Castes • Tutsi = lineages tied to cattle wealth • Hutu = lineages w/o cattle & ties to powerful people

22. Genocide: Rwanda • German control of Rwanda in 1884 • Tutsi = taller, lighter skin = increased power • Hutus = servitude class/caste • Post WWI, Belgian rule • Intensified split, replaced Hutu chiefs w/ Tutsi’s • Ethnic identity cards issued • Tutsi elite = collect taxes & administer justice system • Rwandan Independence (1950s) • Belgium supports Hutu Coup & violence against Tutsi’s • International Coffee Agreement (1989) • Int. coffee prices plummet, detrimental to producers • Widespread famine for coffee farmers • Govn’t agrees to SAPs in exchange for Foreign Aid • Further decimating Rwandan economy

23. Genocide: Rwanda • Terahamwe&Impuzamugambi • “those who attack together” • “those w/ a single purpose” • Trained, armed & indoctrinated Hutus death squads • Lead & influenced the killing of: • ~800,000 Tutsis • 10,000 - 30,000 moderate Hutus • West’s Reaction to Hutu-Tutsi violence • UN = “Hutus killing Tutsi & Tutsi killing Hutus” • Interethnic violence • Denial of use of the word “genocide” • Publicity = fund-raising bonanza for aid agencies