denied, which forced the Kurds to adopt another language, which made the preservation of their ethnic identity difficult (Withman, 1993: 37). An ethnic group can also actively change aspects of their ethnicity. This happened in the 1960’s when the Hausa traders in Nigeria converted en masse to a Stufi sect called Tijaniyya to justify a separate Hausa quarter (Joirnema, 2003: 38). A particular part of an ethnic identity or the identity as whole can bet strengthened or weakened or parts can get changed, all because it is in someone’s political interest.
But ethnic identity is not something purely psychological, it is not just an idea originated from someone’s interest. First of all there is some basic ethnicity that you were born with such …show more content…
Colonisation has played an important role in the change of ethnic identities, especially during the European colonization where South-American and African countries were colonized. Western countries brought new traditions and often their own religion to the colonies, a different language also meant changing of the original language and because of interracial marriage children with mixed identities were born. Colonizers also brought traditions and ethnic traits back to their motherland. Maybe less so than the influence on the ethnicity of colonies, but this still meant a slight change in ethnicity of the settlers or …show more content…
The migration process including planning new living arrangements, transferring money is also made easier due to easier access to information. The migration process may become easier, but governments have changed and will change their migration policies. Many countries have tightened their entry-rules for low-skilled workers, but loosened them for family migrants and students. And Canada and the US have changed from a immigration system favouring white immigrants to one that is indifferent to race. It will be interesting to see what this will do to the influence of migration on ethnicity in the future. (Czaika, Haas, 2014) In this essay I have argued that ethnic identity is fluid and that because it constantly changes, there are multiple thing influencing and therefore producing ethnic identity. We have seen that it is produced by the use of it as a political tool, either strengthening or weakening the identity as a whole or highlighting certain features of it. I have also argued that global influences, such as colonization, migration and globalization, produce ethnic identities as they have made for a world where different ethnicities can influence and change each
But ethnic identity is not something purely psychological, it is not just an idea originated from someone’s interest. First of all there is some basic ethnicity that you were born with such …show more content…
Colonisation has played an important role in the change of ethnic identities, especially during the European colonization where South-American and African countries were colonized. Western countries brought new traditions and often their own religion to the colonies, a different language also meant changing of the original language and because of interracial marriage children with mixed identities were born. Colonizers also brought traditions and ethnic traits back to their motherland. Maybe less so than the influence on the ethnicity of colonies, but this still meant a slight change in ethnicity of the settlers or …show more content…
The migration process including planning new living arrangements, transferring money is also made easier due to easier access to information. The migration process may become easier, but governments have changed and will change their migration policies. Many countries have tightened their entry-rules for low-skilled workers, but loosened them for family migrants and students. And Canada and the US have changed from a immigration system favouring white immigrants to one that is indifferent to race. It will be interesting to see what this will do to the influence of migration on ethnicity in the future. (Czaika, Haas, 2014) In this essay I have argued that ethnic identity is fluid and that because it constantly changes, there are multiple thing influencing and therefore producing ethnic identity. We have seen that it is produced by the use of it as a political tool, either strengthening or weakening the identity as a whole or highlighting certain features of it. I have also argued that global influences, such as colonization, migration and globalization, produce ethnic identities as they have made for a world where different ethnicities can influence and change each