EthnicityEthnicity

What Is It?What Is It?

► Refers to a group of people who share a Refers to a group of people who share a common identity.common identity.

► First came into popular usage during the First came into popular usage during the 1940’s as an alternative to the term “race,” 1940’s as an alternative to the term “race,” which was negatively associated with which was negatively associated with Hitler’s Nazi regime.Hitler’s Nazi regime.

► Involves more than physical characteristics Involves more than physical characteristics associated with race; also includes a associated with race; also includes a person’s perceived social and cultural person’s perceived social and cultural identity.identity.

Charter GroupCharter Group

► The first ethnic group to establish cultural The first ethnic group to establish cultural norms in an area.norms in an area.

► Sometimes called the “first effective Sometimes called the “first effective settlement” or “first self-perpetuating settlement” or “first self-perpetuating society,” whose imprint affects modern society,” whose imprint affects modern cultural geography or an area.cultural geography or an area.

► Cultural geography of the eastern United Cultural geography of the eastern United States was heavily influenced by British States was heavily influenced by British settlers, while southwestern cultural settlers, while southwestern cultural geography displays more Spanish influence.geography displays more Spanish influence.

EthnocentrismEthnocentrism

►Tendency to evaluate other cultures Tendency to evaluate other cultures against the standards of one’s own, against the standards of one’s own, implying superiority of one’s ethnic group.implying superiority of one’s ethnic group.

►Can be negative in multiethnic societies by Can be negative in multiethnic societies by provoking social discord and isolation.provoking social discord and isolation.

►Can be positive when ethnic groups exist in Can be positive when ethnic groups exist in relative isolation by providing familiarity relative isolation by providing familiarity through traditions, friends, business through traditions, friends, business opportunities, and political identification.opportunities, and political identification.

Ethnic EnclavesEthnic Enclaves

► A relatively small area occupied by a distinct A relatively small area occupied by a distinct culture or ethnicity, which largely result culture or ethnicity, which largely result from chain migration.from chain migration.

► ““Little Italy” or “Chinatown” are common Little Italy” or “Chinatown” are common names of ethnic enclaves that exist in names of ethnic enclaves that exist in numerous American cities.numerous American cities.

► Ease the adaptation process by providing Ease the adaptation process by providing business opportunities, community, and business opportunities, community, and cultural items and traditions from home cultural items and traditions from home such as food and clothes.such as food and clothes.

Ethnic Cleansing and Ethnic Cleansing and GenocideGenocide

►Cleansing involves the effort to rid a Cleansing involves the effort to rid a country or region of everyone of a country or region of everyone of a particular ethnicity either through particular ethnicity either through forced migration or genocide.forced migration or genocide.

►Genocide is a premeditated effort to Genocide is a premeditated effort to kill everyone from a particular ethnic kill everyone from a particular ethnic group.group.

Ethnic NeighborhoodsEthnic Neighborhoods

► Concentrations of people from the same Concentrations of people from the same ethnicity in certain pockets of the city.ethnicity in certain pockets of the city.

► Results from friends and relatives who have Results from friends and relatives who have immigrated, encouraging friends and immigrated, encouraging friends and relatives back home to join them where relatives back home to join them where opportunities or freedom are more available.opportunities or freedom are more available.

►When ethnic groups are forced to live in When ethnic groups are forced to live in segregated parts of the city, the ethnic segregated parts of the city, the ethnic neighborhood becomes a “ghetto.”neighborhood becomes a “ghetto.”

►Ghettos exist in some of the least desirable Ghettos exist in some of the least desirable locations within a city.locations within a city.

Ethnic IslandsEthnic Islands

► Small, rural areas settled by a single ethnic Small, rural areas settled by a single ethnic group as opposed to ethnic neighborhoods group as opposed to ethnic neighborhoods or enclaves, which are urban.or enclaves, which are urban.

► Formed in the United States by later settlers Formed in the United States by later settlers including Scandinavians in the north central including Scandinavians in the north central states; Germans in the Appalachians, upper states; Germans in the Appalachians, upper midwest, and Texas; Slavics in the western midwest, and Texas; Slavics in the western plains; and Armenians and Italians in plains; and Armenians and Italians in California.California.

► Leave their imprint in rural areas through Leave their imprint in rural areas through housing, barn style, and farmstead layouts.housing, barn style, and farmstead layouts.

Ethnic ProvincesEthnic Provinces

►When entire regions become associated When entire regions become associated with ethnic or racial aggregations.with ethnic or racial aggregations.

► Include French Canadians in Quebec; Include French Canadians in Quebec; African Americans in the U.S. southeast; African Americans in the U.S. southeast; Native Americans in Oklahoma, the Native Americans in Oklahoma, the southwest, the northern plains and southwest, the northern plains and prairies; and Hispanics in the prairies; and Hispanics in the southwestern border states.southwestern border states.

Social DistanceSocial Distance

►Measure of the perceived differences Measure of the perceived differences between an immigrant ethnic group and the between an immigrant ethnic group and the charter or host society.charter or host society.

► Increases with greater perceived differences Increases with greater perceived differences between groups, diminishing the likelihood between groups, diminishing the likelihood of the charter group assimilating the of the charter group assimilating the newcomers.newcomers.

►When distance is high, ethnic When distance is high, ethnic neighborhoods or enclaves exist for much neighborhoods or enclaves exist for much longer than when it is low.longer than when it is low.

SegregationSegregation

► Measure of the extent to which members of a Measure of the extent to which members of a particular minority ethnic group are not particular minority ethnic group are not uniformly distributed among the total uniformly distributed among the total population.population.

► Quantitatively measured using the Quantitatively measured using the segregation index or index of residential segregation index or index of residential dissimilarity.dissimilarity.

► Index indicates the percentage difference Index indicates the percentage difference between two ethnic groups.between two ethnic groups.

► In New York, in 2000, segregation measured In New York, in 2000, segregation measured at 82 percent, meaning 82 percent of blacks at 82 percent, meaning 82 percent of blacks (or whites) need to locate to new census (or whites) need to locate to new census tracts before equal distribution is achieved.tracts before equal distribution is achieved.

DiasporaDiaspora

► Experiences of people who come from a Experiences of people who come from a common ethnic background but live in common ethnic background but live in different regions or ethnic neighborhoods.different regions or ethnic neighborhoods.

►Often used to refer to Jews or blacks of Often used to refer to Jews or blacks of African descent, who maintain aspects of African descent, who maintain aspects of their common heritage despite living outside their common heritage despite living outside their home community.their home community.

►Often illustrates itself through music, food, Often illustrates itself through music, food, or religious traditions that allow individuals or religious traditions that allow individuals to celebrate and maintain common heritage to celebrate and maintain common heritage outside of native culture region.outside of native culture region.

Gender and SexGender and Sex

► Gender refers to socially created distinctions Gender refers to socially created distinctions between masculinity and femininity, while sex between masculinity and femininity, while sex connotes biological differences between males and connotes biological differences between males and females.females.

► Geographers are increasingly interested in spatial Geographers are increasingly interested in spatial behavior pattern differences between males and behavior pattern differences between males and females.females.

► For example, females, for safety reasons, may be For example, females, for safety reasons, may be less willing to travel alone in certain parts of a city less willing to travel alone in certain parts of a city as compared to males.as compared to males.

► Culture can play a strong role in determining a Culture can play a strong role in determining a woman’s role in society, which often has woman’s role in society, which often has implications for economic development.implications for economic development.

Popular “Pop” CulturePopular “Pop” Culture

► Conveys a notion of cultural productions Conveys a notion of cultural productions fueled by mass media and consumerism.fueled by mass media and consumerism.

► Includes visual and performing arts, culinary Includes visual and performing arts, culinary arts, architecture and city planning, music, arts, architecture and city planning, music, fashion, sports, leisure activities, and other fashion, sports, leisure activities, and other forms of entertainment.forms of entertainment.

►Does not reflect local environment; looks Does not reflect local environment; looks virtually the same anywhere it appears.virtually the same anywhere it appears.

► Rapidly changes over time as evidenced by Rapidly changes over time as evidenced by terms such as fad or trend commonly used terms such as fad or trend commonly used in pop culture lingo.in pop culture lingo.

Cultural ImperialismCultural Imperialism

►Dominance of one culture over another.Dominance of one culture over another.►Historically, often occurred as a result of Historically, often occurred as a result of

colonization.colonization.►Occurs in present day as pop culture, which is Occurs in present day as pop culture, which is

so easily diffused across national boundaries; so easily diffused across national boundaries; causes local traditions to either die out or causes local traditions to either die out or become completely commercialized.become completely commercialized.

► Sometimes called Sometimes called cultural homogenizationcultural homogenization, as , as pop culture continually pervades the globe.pop culture continually pervades the globe.

Folk CultureFolk Culture

► Refers to cultural practices that form the Refers to cultural practices that form the sights, smells, sounds, and rituals of everyday sights, smells, sounds, and rituals of everyday existence in traditional societies in which they existence in traditional societies in which they developed.developed.

► Usually rural, with strong family ties and Usually rural, with strong family ties and strong interpersonal relationships leading to strong interpersonal relationships leading to cohesive group identity.cohesive group identity.

► Usually form a subsistence economy, where Usually form a subsistence economy, where most goods are handmade, and most most goods are handmade, and most individuals perform a variety of tasks father individuals perform a variety of tasks father than specializing in any one area.than specializing in any one area.

► Elements vary dramatically from place to Elements vary dramatically from place to place but do not change much over time.place but do not change much over time.

Folk Cultures TodayFolk Cultures Today

► Very few exist today, especially in North Very few exist today, especially in North America.America.

►Many traditions perpetuated, materially and Many traditions perpetuated, materially and nonmaterially, through art and other nonmaterially, through art and other handicraft as well as music, stories, handicraft as well as music, stories, philosophies, and belief systems.philosophies, and belief systems.

► Relics of past folk culture exist in the Relics of past folk culture exist in the present in the form of different types of present in the form of different types of houses, food and drink, and music, and houses, food and drink, and music, and different kinds of medicines and remedies.different kinds of medicines and remedies.

Vernacular RegionsVernacular Regions

► A perceptual region defined by perceived A perceptual region defined by perceived unique physical and cultural characteristics in unique physical and cultural characteristics in that area.that area.

►While region boundaries are based on While region boundaries are based on individual perception, much overlap exists individual perception, much overlap exists among people as to where these regions exist.among people as to where these regions exist.

► For example, most people in the United States For example, most people in the United States would define the boundaries of the “Deep would define the boundaries of the “Deep South” similarly.South” similarly.

►Many of the defining characteristics are based Many of the defining characteristics are based on stereotypes, often from mass media on stereotypes, often from mass media sources, particularly if an individual has not sources, particularly if an individual has not had direct experience with a place.had direct experience with a place.

Sense of PlaceSense of Place

► Term used to connote attachment to and Term used to connote attachment to and comfort in a particular place.comfort in a particular place.

► Typically individuals have strongest sense of Typically individuals have strongest sense of place attached to where they grew up, place attached to where they grew up, which is manifested by loyalty to sports which is manifested by loyalty to sports teams and other items people associated teams and other items people associated with “home.”with “home.”

►Many argue that individuals are losing it as Many argue that individuals are losing it as “placeless” landscapes of pop culture “placeless” landscapes of pop culture increasingly take over the unique increasingly take over the unique characteristics of local landscapes.characteristics of local landscapes.

PlacelessnessPlacelessness

► Loss of distinct local features in favor of Loss of distinct local features in favor of standardized landscapes.standardized landscapes.

►Happens as a result of pervasiveness of pop Happens as a result of pervasiveness of pop culture and mass production and availability culture and mass production and availability of a wide variety of consumables.of a wide variety of consumables.

► Fought through opposition of establishment Fought through opposition of establishment of pop culture elements such as big box of pop culture elements such as big box stores like Walmart or standardized and stores like Walmart or standardized and stagnant strip malls.stagnant strip malls.

► Communities fighting placelessness work to Communities fighting placelessness work to promote local businesses and local promote local businesses and local characteristics to keep their place unique.characteristics to keep their place unique.