Chapter 7 - Ethnicity

Jokes These four guys were walking down the

street, a Saudi, a Russian, a North Korean, and a New Yorker. A reporter comes running up and says, “Excuse me, what is your opinion about the meat shortage?” The Saudi says, “What’s a shortage?” The Russian says, “What’s meat?” The North Korean says, “What’s an opinion?” The New Yorker, says, “Excuse me?? What’s excuse me?”

Two Arabs boarded a shuttle out of Washington for New York. One sat in the window seat, the other in the middle seat. Just before takeoff a fat, little Israeli guy got on and took the aisle seat next to the Arabs. He kicked off his shoes, wiggled his toes and was settling in when the Arab in the window seat said, “I think I ll go up and get a coke.” “No problem,” said the Israeli. “I ll get it for you.” While he was gone, the Arab picked up the Israeli’s shoe and spit in it. When the Israeli returned with the coke, the other Arab said, “That looks good. I think I ll have one too.” Again, the Israeli obligingly went to fetch it, and while he is gone the Arab other picked up the other shoe and spit in it. The Israeli returned with the coke, and they all sat back and enjoyed the short flight to New York. As the plane was landing the Israeli slipped his feet into his shoes and knew immediately what had happened. “How long must this go on?” he asked. “This enmity between our peoples….. this hatred… this animosity… this spitting in shoes and peeing in cokes?”

An Irishman, a black guy, and a white guy were driving through the desert when they suddenly ran out of gas. They all decided to start walking to the nearest town (which they had passed 50 miles back) to get some help. A rancher was sitting on his front porch that evening when he saw the white guy top the horizon and walk toward him. The rancher noticed that the white guy was carrying a glass of water, so when he was within hearing distance, the rancher said, “Hi there…what are you doing carring a glass of water through the desert?” The white guy explained his predicament and explained that since he had a long way to go, he might get thirsty, so that’s why he was carrying the water. A little while later the rancher noticed the black guy walking toward him with a loaf of bread in his hand. “What are you doing?” asked the rancher again. As before, the black guy explained the’s ituation and said that since he had a long way to go, he might get hungry and that’s why he had the bread. Finally the Irishman appeared, dragging a car door through the sand. More curious than ever, the rancher asked, “Hey, why are you dragging that car door?” “Well,” he said, “I have a long way to go, so if it gets too hot, I ll roll down the window.”

Jokes are just harmless fun right? What’s the problems with ethnic jokes? Where do they come from? Why do we often find them funny? Are we being “too sensitive”? Are we not being upset ENOUGH by these

jokes?

What do you know? – Partner up & brainstorm

What racial issues are you aware of? What ethnic issues are you aware of? How have these turned out? Where are they happening mostly?

What is the difference?

Ethnicity: one’s identity based on cultural traits, such as language, religion, food, clothing, family structure, values, traditions. Share traditions of a homeland or hearth.

Race: one’s identity based on one’s physical characteristics. Genetic

Nationality: one’s identity based on the country that one is from.

Race

Racism = belief that race is primary determinant of human traits. Belief that some races are superior.

One feature DOES matter in geography – color of skin. It is a fundamental basis in societies where people live, attend school, etc.

Through history, it has become LESS of an identifier.

Indigenous & Mixed Races

Means “original” people who settled area. Problem is… how do you REALLY know?

Suspected N.Ams are really Asian race. Mestizo – EUR & N.Am Mulatto – EUR & African (negative meaning) Creole – EUR & N.Am and African

Friedrich Ratzel Father of modern H.Geo. Same time race developed, so did

environmental determinism – remember? Culture/surroundings determined by phys. Env’t

He believed this, was later proved wrong. 1800s though, used to prove racist ideologies

like ppl from tropics are lazy (hot), people from cold are hard workers.

Obviously ppl from hot can move to cold & survive.

Led to Nazism

Carl Sauer

Opposed this view w/possibilism! Partially shaped by env’t & resources avail. 1920s

Internal/external Identity

Internal: How you express your identity to those who share your heritage/origin.

External: How express to those OUTSIDE your heritage.

Ex. 2 people from Africa vs. 2 people, 1 from Canada, 1 from Af.

Ethnic Identity and Geography

Where we are from: One’s ethnic identity is always tied to a place of origin: our home, where our grandfather’s grave is, where we built our temple, where our history lies, where our national hero brought us during the time of the famine, where we fought and died.

Ethnic Identity can be Fluid

Any cultural trait, no matter how superficial, can be a basis for ethnic identity.

A charismatic leader or outside influence can cause a group to see themselves as an ethnic group.

A person can discover their roots and become re-identified with ethnic heritage.

Role of ethnic groups

Keepers of distinctive cultural traditions Focal point of various kinds of social

interaction Provide group identity, friendships, and

marriage partners Also provides a recreational outlet, business

success, and a political power base Can give rise to suspicion, friction, distrust,

clannishness, and even violence

How ethnic minorities can be changed by their host culture

Acculturation — an ethnic group adopts enough of the host society’s ways to be able to function economically and socially

Assimilation — a complete blending with the host culture Involves loss of all distinctive ethnic traits American host culture now includes many

descendants of —Germans, Scots, Irish, French, Swedes, and Welsh

Intermarriage is perhaps the most effective assimilatory device

Problems encountered when defining ethnic group Membership in an ethnic group is

involuntaryHe or she must be born into the groupOften individuals choose to discard

their ethnicity Politics can also help provide the basis for the

we/they dichotomy that underlies ethnicity

Problems encountered when defining ethnic group Main problem is different groups base their

identities on different traits The Jews—primarily means religion The Amish—both folk culture and religion African-Americans—skin color Swiss-Americans—national origin German-Americans—ancestral language Cuban-Americans—mainly anti-Castro,

and anti-Marxist sentiment

How ethnic minorities can be changed by their host culture In reality few ethnic groups have been

assimilated in the so-called “melting-pot” It was assumed all ethnic groups would

eventually be assimilated The last 25 years has witnessed a

resurgence of ethnic identity in the United States, Canada, Europe, and elsewhere

Ethnicity easily made the transition from folk to popular culture

Popular culture reveals a vivid ethnic component

Ethnicity in the World Today

About 5,000 ethnic groups.

There are 190 countries in the world today.

Key Issue 1: Where are Ethnicities Distributed? First up – U.S.

2 biggest: (Hispanic or Latino) – 14% of total pop. African-American – 12% 4% = Asian American and 1% American Indian Hispanic means ppl of all Spanish-speaking

countries. Some f/Latin Am. Descent adopted term Latino or

Latina. What regions of U.S. do you PRIMARILY find these

groups? Website on Ethnicity in U.S.

Break it down… Most Hispanics identify with more specific

ethnic group: Chicanos/Chicanas (used to be offensive) Cuban Puerto Rican

Asian-Americans: Indian Filipino Korean Japanese, etc..

African-Americans in the U.S.

Fig. 7-1: The highest percentages of African Americans are in the rural South and in northern cities.

Concentrations of Ethnicities Clustering more pronounced

in neighborhoods in cities. Detroit’s Greektown and

Poletown.

Examples of ethnic enclaves in the United States

North Boston - Voluntary Mounted statue of Paul Revere - Italian

neighborhood Most businesses have Italian names Women lean out of upper-story windows

conversing —Naples-style — to neighbors across the street

Italian-dominated outdoor vegetable market Pilgrimage to the site where the American

Revolution began has become a trip to Little Italy

Ethnic Enclaves

Involuntary: When a group is segregated by law and by force and not allowed to participate in the broader society: ghetto, reservation, homeland.

Charlotte?

Greek festival Anything else?? Southern enclaves? “Northern” transplants. Bars – picking college teams. Epicenter – Strike City, Ohio State. Tavern on the Tracks – Michigan.

Urban ethnic neighborhoods and ghettos Benefits of the ethnic neighborhood

Common use of language Nearby kin Stores and services specially tailored to a certain

group’s tastes Presence of factories relying on ethnically based

division of labor Institutions important to the group — churches and

lodges The ghetto — traditionally been used to describe an

area within the city where a certain ethnic group is forced to live

Jewish Ghetto: Salzburg, Austria The name of this street

is Judengasse – Jew Street.

Here, as in many European cities, Jews were forced to live in a specific walled and gated area.

The term ghetto derives from the Jewish quarter by the Ghetto Novo or New Foundry in Venice.

Power of Place

Again – another one that’s not SUPER exciting.. But good info for AP FRQ questions!

#3 – “Strousburg”

African-American Migration Patterns 3 migration flows:

1. From Africa to the colonies (forced) 18th C.1619 – 1st ships to Jamestown, VA., height = 1710-

1810, 10MIL Africans displaced. What is a sharecropper? How did sharecropping affect migration?

400,000 in 18th CTriangular slave trade1808 though illegal, still another 250,000

2. From U.S. South to Northern cities, 1st ½ 20th C., Before/after WW I & II (1910-1950s)

3. Inner-city ghetto to urban neighborhoods, 2nd ½ 20th C.

Triangular Slave Trade

Fig. 7-7: The British triangular slave trading system operated among Britain, Africa, and the Caribbean and North America.

Race in the U.S.

2000 Census (still waiting on specifics for these in 2010):

75% White 12% Black 4% Asian 1% Am Indian or Alaska Native 6% Other Interesting: Hispanic or Latino is NOT

considered a race by census.

“Separate But Equal” – The U.S.

Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896 est “Jim Crow” laws Brown v. Board of Ed, Topeka, KS “White Flight” – disinvestment, moving out to

suburbs. Riots in 1967 furtherintensified problemBlockbusting used

South Africa Apartheid – late 20th C. peaked. Physical separation of different races into diff.

geographic areas. Blacks = 75%, whites 14%, Colored 8%, Asian

3%. Laws said where you could live, work, attend

school, etc. 70’s/80’s – lots of countries cut them off. Nelson Mandela Still lots of issues though – VIDEO South Africa

Revealed

Key Issue 2 – Why Have Ethnicities Been Transformed Into Nationalities?

Nationality – based on shared country. U.S. = “American” nationality Everyone who lives here = American. Every

American belongs to a race (your color), but not everyone identifies with an ethnicity.

Self-determination: when ethnicities believe they have the right to govern themselves.

In U.S. nationality & ethnicity separate concepts

Remember Quebec?

The Quebecois are totally different in language, relig & other aspects

Do they form a distinct ethnicity within the Canadian nationality OR a SECOND nationality SEPARATE from Anglo-Canadian?

This is the heart of their debate

Book with confuse you..

They say a “nation OR nationality” is… a group of ppl tied together. CONFUSING! USE these 2 separately:

Nationality: identity with a group of ppl who share legal attachment & personal allegiance to a particular country.

Nation: group of people tied together to a place thru legal STATUS (not citizenship… think “refugee” status) and/or cultural identity (religion, language, etc). Kurds, Palestinians

Now, get this clear… DO NOT use the U.S., N. America or W. EUR for

examples These terms are used for specific situations, mostly in

E. Europe & Africa because of turmoil. Centripetal force: unites – think PHYSICS.. Pulls you

IN. Centrifugal pushes you OUT. Nationalism is an example of a centripetal force –

unifies people. Both terms used HEAVILY in AP Test! What would some other centipetal and centrifugal

forces be?

Nation-States State: Self-governing legal entity organized into a

political unit, ruled by an est. gov’t w/control over its affairs. Pretty synonymous w/term “country”

Nation-state: territory corresponds to a particular ethnicity that has been transformed into a nationality.

When a nation of people have a State or country of their own, it is called a nation-state Denmark: Danish ethnicity & border are pretty close.

Nationalism

Nationalism = loyalty. Mass media is ESSENTIAL! Symbols = flags, songs (hello.. Why do

people burn the American flag?) What is the negative impact? Nationalism = centripetal force – attitude

that tends to unify ppl and enhance support for a state.

Terms RARELY used in N. America

Multinational States

Multi-ethnic = more than 1 ethnicity (duh) Multi-national states = 2 or more ethnic groups

w/traditions of self-determination, exist peacefully by recognizing each other. Ex. = Belgium, U.K

Relationships vary – the main element of national identity in U.K?

Former Soviet Union – map! Want to make sure we’ve got these!

Be sure to read about these nation-states, good examples for nation-state questions on AP exam!

Largest Multinational State is???

15 Republics of former Soviet Union

Remember those names from T.V? Chechens – group of Sunni Muslims. Chechnya under Russia VIDEO: Chechens War for Independence 1:32 The Republic of Chechnya is located on the N slope of the

Caucasus Mountains within 100 kilometers of the Caspian Sea. Vital to the Russian Federation for two reasons. First, access routes to both the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea Second, vital Russian oil and gas pipeline connections with Kazakstan and Azerbaijan also run through Chechnya. The declaration of full independence issued in 1993 by the Chechen government of Dzhokar Dudayev led to civil war in that republic, and several Russian-backed attempts to overthrow Dudayev failed in 1993 and 1994.

Chechnya

The 15 republics split…

Now have 3 BALTIC states – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania 1918-1940 Independence. LITH is most closely the nation-state of the group!! Lithuanians = 83% of the pop.

European: Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, eh… not so much the nation-states

C. Asian: (THE STANS!) Kazak, Kyrgyz, Tajiki, Turkemini, Uzbeki

Caucasus: Azerbaijan, Armenia & Georgia Then Russia which is huge

Revival of Ethnic Identity

What did Karl Marx believe in regards to maintaining power?

Communist countries typically suppress culture.

Key Issue 3: Why do Ethnicities Clash?

Ethiopia and Eritrea = land Sudan – Darfur – VIDEO: Frontline (already

watched?) = religious Somalia = language & religious – VIDEO: Ambush

in Mogadishu Lebanon = religious It’s pretty much the same kind of story…The key

is they all are ex’s of competition to dominate the nationality. Struggle for power, avoid oppression.

Dividing Among More than 1 State:

India – split Pakistan, forced ppl to migrate. Never agree on boundaries = dispute. Sri Lanka Kurds – divided among several states now.

Some U.S. involvement to protect Kurds (they were driven out of Iraq by Saddam Hussein).

VIDEO: Kurds Flee Iraq

Ethnic Cleansing – Key Issue 4

You’ve heard of Kosovo? Bosnia

Yugoslavia – the 7/6/5/4/3/2/1.. And a partridge in a pear tree…

Bosnia – Serbs & Croats getting rid of Bosnian Muslims. Bosnian Serbs vs. Bosnian Muslims

Video: Bill Clinton – more Political Deployment than any other president in 50 years.

Kosovo – more U.S. involvement w/NATO too What does it mean to be “Balkanized”? Rwanda (yeah, that movie)…

Stuff I missed, but for AP exam:

Ethnic homelands Cover large areas, often over-lapping state and

provincial borders Have sizable populations Residents seek or enjoy some measure of political

autonomy or self-rule Populations usually exhibit a strong sense of

attachment to the region Most homelands belong to indigenous ethnic

groups

Examples of ethnic homelands in North America

Acadiana — Louisiana French increasingly identified with the Cajun people and recognized as a perceptual region

Spanish-American — highland New Mexico, Colorado, and South Texas

Navajo Reservation — New Mexico and Arizona French-Canadian — centered on valley of lower

St. Lawrence River in Quebec Some include Deseret— Mormon homeland in

the Great Basin of the Intermontane West

Some ethnic homelands have experienced decline and decay

Pennsylvania “Dutch” — weakened to almost extinction by assimilation

Southern “Black Belt” — diminished by collapse of plantation-sharecrop system resulting in out-migration to urban areas

Mormon absorption into the American cultural mainstream

Non-ethnic immigration has damaged the Spanish-American homeland

More…

Most vigorous homelands are the French-Canadians and South Texas Mexican-Americans

Ethnic substrate Occurs when a people in a homeland are

assimilated into the host culture and a geographical residue remains

The resultant culture region retains some distinctiveness

Ethnic substrate

Geographers often find traces of an ancient, vanished ethnicity in a region

Italian province of Tuscany owes both its name and some uniqueness to the Etruscan people who ceased as an ethnic group 2,000 years ago

Massive German presence in American Heartland helped shape cultural character of the Midwest, which can be said to have a German ethnic substrate

Ethnic Island: Westby, Wisconsin Although traditional

events such as the fall lutefisk dinner and the May 17th Norwegian Independence Day celebration are celebrated, this ethnic group has essentially assimilated with the host culture.

Note the various popular cultural organizations and activities in this community.

Ethnic culture regions in rural North America

Ethnic islands in North America Small dots in the countryside Usually occupy less area than a county Much smaller than a homeland-serve as

home to only several hundred or several thousand people

More numerous than homelands or substrates

Many found in large areas of rural North America

Ethnic culture regions in rural North America

Ethnic islands in North America Crazy-quilt pattern found in some areas of Midwest Germans form the largest group found in ethnic

islands—southeastern Pennsylvania and in Wisconsin

Scandinavians — primarily Swedes and Norwegians —came mainly to Minnesota, the eastern Dakotas, and western Wisconsin

Ukrainians settled mainly in the Canadian Prairie Provinces

Slavic groups — mainly Poles and Czechs —established scattered colonies in the Midwest and Texas

REMINDER for Ms. K

Skipped Power of Place #3.. Watch it!