Ethnicity (Oxford Reader) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethnicity (Oxford Reader) - Research Paper Example To the instrumentalist it is more like a resource, which one can gain by following his or her interest. To others is a social construction used by people to forge their identity. This paper discusses the different points of view on ethnicity and points out to the point of view I find to be most convincing. Though there is a tendency to link ethnicity with conflict, the two entities are completely different. However, ethnic conflict is a common phenomenon that arises due to factors such as political divides that are based on ethnic communities and identities, economic inequalities arising due to scarcity of resource hence as well as cultural differences. Cultural differences could be based on language or religion. Another source of ethnic conflict is unequal distribution of political reward where more political rewards being given to one ethnic group than others in a polyethnic state. Additionally, national identity and ideology are common source of ethnic conflict (Hutchinson and Smith 1-10). From a long time back, people use the term ethnicity to demonstrate some form of commonness in addition to demonstrating solidarity. Among the Greeks, ethnicity is associated with the term ethnie, which means, ethnic category, ethnic network, ethnic association, ethnic network or ethnic community. To the Schermerhorn ethnie is a myth of common ancestry, common culture, or some form of link to homeland (Hutchinson and Smith 10-14). Currently, there are different approaches to ethnie. Primodialism is one such approach, which defines ethnie as naturally given socially creating bonds. However, this definition is problematic since it is static and naturalistic hence lacking exploratory power. Sociobiloogists view ethnie as an explanation for kinship-based grouping with genetic reproductive capacity. This approach is also problematic since it tends to reduce social and cultural behaviors to biological drives. Additionally, it tends to be speculative when dealing with large