Ethnicity is one of those highly abstract terms that has no actual meaning, it is usually used withing a paradign. Often the paradign itself is that of a person with an ideaology and agenda to promote this ideology. The word gleans it's meaning from the paradign it is used in, so changes users to user, paradign to paradign.

 

Sounds like a good solution to me: simple and universal.

 

-Akolouthos

 

whether or whether not they recognise themselves?

 

Or do both parties have to agree?

 

 

 

anyone who has money and is willing to share it.

 

Hmmm... From just casual observation it would seem that dogs frequently mistake all manner of odd objects for other dogs

 

 

Imagination, both nationality and ethnicity are figments of the collective human imgagination and irrelevent defects in our development as individuals, none the less they are useful tools for taking control and using the "other" as means on retaining that control. 

 

Thus I wholly support these imaginary concepts as a means for great people to exert will over the mob, but those in the mob that actually believe this crap are to be despised.

 

 

People usually think:

 

 

Then discrimination starts because of looks, religion, accent, cloths, etc., which are just justifications of hate, rather than the origin. The origin is the presence of foreigners in our own living space.

 

In the case of Blacks in the U.S., they have never been considered "locals" by the White people. That's the origin of the problem, I believe, rather than superficial things like the color of skin. Racism is just another excuse.

 

Pinguin

 

In the case of Blacks in the U.S., they have never been considered "locals" by the White people. That's the origin of the problem, I believe, rather than superficial things like the color of skin. Racism is just another excuse

Do Chileans regard Natives or Blacks as locals ?

 

Nationality is a easy one, most countries have quite comprehensive legislation covering it, admittedly different in each. Personally I subscribe to the, what does it say in your passport? Solution. Saves a lot of trouble.

 

I agree with this however, in my opinion the real juicy section is ethnicity and needs much greater analyses.

 

Ethnicity is not controlled by borders, by governments or pollitics, it's very pychological and can have a much deeper meaning than "Nationality".

 

The primary factor's can be summarised as, mother-tongue, culture, identity, family values plus the ideas regarding identity that they provide, a sense of belonging and acceptance.

 

Mother-tongue is of great importance, as it's the language which you first come into contact with. However, there are exceptions, this can be especially seen for example in Afro-American, Afro-Brittish, Afro-French etc, while their mother-tongue's may now be English this does not give them an English or American ethnicity, unless ofcourse they percieve themselves to have one.

 

Culture is of high value, the songs, music, arts, styles etc your exposed to can help shape who you are and make you feel a connection to those who share your cultures, values and traditions.

 

Family values and the ideas they pass down to us regarding identity are extremely important. Families are the first to shape us into what we will become, they teach us about are forefathers, who we are, our history, our family, who were a social part of and so on.

 

Then there is the sense of belonging, this is key. If you speak the language, share the culture and values, have the identity, other's who have this are also like you giving a sense of belonging. However, if you have these similarities but are rejected, it makes you search for the reason as to why. Is it skin colour, religion, where we've been living and so on. This causes people to search for the society that they belong to and are accepted into. The point raised hear connects back to the mother-tongue issue, even though a person may not share the mother-tongue based upon these reasons they may feel the sense of belonging to another community who he/she doesn't share the same language with but feels a historical link to.

 

There are so many other factor's, its a very deep issue, and pretty subjective and personal.