Ethnic Groups

Chapter 7

People Group Themselves

Like cars, trucks, suvs, or mini vans—Nationalities=being a citizen of a country—”Americans”, “Canadians”, etc…

Within cars we have makes—BMW, Corvette, Acura… continued. Makes of cars are like Ethnicities. Ethnicities usually share a common cultural hearth, or place of origin, but it is Cultural traits (learned) that that share, not normally biological traits.

Clustering of Ethnicities

In the United States:

Ethnicities and Nationalities A Nationality is identity with a group of people

who share legal attachment and personal allegiance to a particular country (State). (from Latin nasci=to have been born.)

Both nationality and ethnicity derive from shared cultural values.

The U.S.=In America nationality identifies citizens—those born here or who immigrated and became citizens. Ethnicity identifies groups with destinct ancestry and cultural traditions (Polish Americans, Hispanics, etc…)

Ethnicities and Nationalities

Race distinguishes skin color. SO– every citizen living in the United States ia a member of the American nationality, and every American is a member of a race, though not all identify with an ethnicity.

In Canada the Quebecois are a distinct ethnic group—a nation—but not a nationality—however there is a separatist group that would like to have Quebec break away from Canada.

Ethnicities and Nationalities In Key Issue 1 confusion between ethnicity and

race was discussed. This led to discrimination and segregation. Confusion between ethnicity and nationality can lead to violent conflict.

Organization in the U.S. of ethnic groups in the early 1900’s. Nationality or ethnic groups? What did being an American mean?

Ethnicities outside the United States have become Nationalities because of the rise of the concept called self-determination. Events that made this concept popular? The “end” of Imperialism, WW1, WW2, Failed Soviet Reforms.

Ethnicities and Nationalities

Political leaders in the 20th and 21st centuries have attempted to organize the earth’s surface into nation-states, however the territory of a state rarely corresponds precisely to the territory occupied by an ethnicity.

Europe— Western Europe was mostly nation-states by 1900.

Exceptions? Eastern Europe was not. It was controlled by Empires—not nation states.

After WWI the map of Eastern Europe was redrawn to reflect nation states.

Example of ethnocentrism: Why didn’t Europeans think dividing Africa, or the Middle East into Nation-States was important?

Ethnicities and Nationalities

Nazi=German National Socialists. They claimed that all German speaking countries should be united. Political leaders supported this idea until the invasion of Poland in 1939 (not a German speaking country).

No perfect nation-states. Denmark, Japan, Iceland best examples.

Ethnicities and Nationalities

Nationalism=loyalty and devotion to a nationality. Promoted by: 1. Mass media (American

views on news vs. other countries views on news). Does criticism of the government dilute nationalism? 2. Symbols like flags and songs. 3. Negative images of other nationalities.

Centripetal Force=an attitude that tends to unify people and enhance support for a state.

Ethnicities and Nationalities

Multinational States: Multi-ethnic=(Belgium) ethnicities contribute cultural

features to the formation of a single nationality. Multinational states=two (or more) ethnic groups with

traditions of self-determination that agree to coexist peacefully by recognizing each other as a distinct nationality. In some states one nationality dominates another. Assimilation may occur or cultural distinction. Example=the U.K. –very little separate political power, however England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have separate teams in Soccer.

Ethnicities and Nationalities

Former Soviet Union: 15 republics were based on the largest ethnicities. Smaller ethnicities were ignored. These are now independent states.

Ethnicities and Nationalities Lithuania is best

example here of nation-state w/81%. Estonians-Protestant

Language of Uralic family (like Finnish)

Lithuanians-Catholic Lithuanians and

Latvians speak a Language of the Indo-European family (Balto-Slavic)

Ethnicities and Nationalities Belarus, Moldova and

Ukraine are close to nation-states. Belarus and Ukraine very similar to Russians (language, eastern orthodox religion…) Moldova is ethnically

identical to Romania, some would like to be re-unified, however the USSR increased the size and added an area that is Ukrainian and Russian. They would like to remain separate.

Are multi-national countries more peaceful?

Kazakhstan is split. 34 percent Kazakhs (Muslims, Altaic language) and 46 percent Russia (Eastern Orthodox, Indo-European language) however little tension exists—mainly because economy is somewhat well off in comparison

Tajikistan, is mostly ethnically the same (same religion and language groups) but extreme civil war between Muslim Fundamentalist and former Communists.

Russia—the largest multinational State

Independence movements that used to be suppressed forcefully are flourishing. Chechnya's are mainly Sunni Muslims and have claimed independence, but important to Russia because of Oil, and Russia afraid other republics will follow suit.

Caucasus--turmoil

Soviets worked hard to suppress nationalist movements. Now the Caucasus have spent most of their time carving themselves into nation-states—much conflict. Boundary wars between the Nation states of Azeris (Azerbaijan) and Armenians (Armenia).

Eastern Europe—Break up of Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia

Slovenia best example of nation-state. Carved from Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Because Ethnic boundaries are close to physical boundaries. But the Balkan region still has many ethnic minorities and much conflict.

Clash of Ethnic Groups

Because of differences in Culture or over Power—control of resources?

Little conflict in Multi-national states when economy is good.

How little can you carve up land and survive as a nation? *The creation of E.U. for example.

Why do Ethnicities Clash?

Ethnicities fight for domination or problems are created because they are spread out over more than one state.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Horn of Africa: Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia. Sudan is a neighboring country that is also having severe ethnic clashing.

Ethiopia and Eritrea: Eritrea was a colony of Italy since 1890 and was given to Ethiopia after WWII by the U. N..

Ethiopia and Eritrea

Ethiopia dissolved Eritrea government and banned the use of Tigrinya (language). 30 yr war for independence. Ind. In 1993, however still have border disputes. (1998). Border deal not until March of last year. Ethiopia then went to war with Somalia.

Within Ethiopia Ethnic fraction occurs between Muslims and Christians.

Sudan Civil War Since 1956

Is this Genocide?

        

                       

UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2006

GeographySudan in the Region2

Darfur1

Sudan in the World

1. http:// rightsmaps.com/html/sudmap1.html and2. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L03772791.htm

UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2006

Current Situation in Darfur (Jan. 2006)• Two+ rebel groups:

– Sudan Liberation Army (SLA)– Justice and Equality Movement (JEM)– Also present are other small groups and factions arising from splits within

groups

• Government-backed militia, janjawiid, est. 20,000 persons • 100,00 to 300,000 deaths estimated overall.• 50,000 to 142,944 deaths estimated due directly to

fighting1

• 200,000 refugees in Chad2

• 1.75 million persons internally displaced (IDPs)3

• 3.5 million persons in need of humanitarian assistance. 3

1. Coalition for International Justice, 5/05; 2. UNICEF, 12/20/05; 3. UN, Darfur Humanitarian Profile, 11/1/05

UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2006

SPLA

UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2006

Sudan

Is this war because of Ethnicity (Arab against Christian/Tribal Africans) or Economy? Religious fundamentalism is definitely a factor, however extreme problems of desertification have led to fighting over resources—and herders vs. farmers.

Somalia

Centripetal Forces? Religion

Centrifugal Forces: Clans vying for control. What is a clan? 1992, U.N. peace force led by the United

States

Ethnicities in Lebanon

Fig. 7-15: Christians, Sunni Muslims, Shiite Muslims, and Druze are dominant in different areas of the country.

Ethnicities Split Between States

Fig. 7-16: At independence in 1947, British India was divided into India and Pakistan, resulting in the migration of 17 million people and many killings. In 1971, after a brutal civil war, East Pakistan became the country of Bangladesh.

Jammu and Kashmir

Fig. 7-17: Although its population is mainly Muslim, much of Jammu and Kashmir became part of India in 1947. India and Pakistan have fought two wars over the territory, and there has been a separatist insurgency in the area.

Sinhalese and Tamils in Sri Lanka

Fig. 7-18: The Sinhalese are mainly Buddhist and speak an Indo-European language, while the Tamils are mainly Hindu and speak a Dravidian language.