Ethnicity without Groups

by Brubaker

Despite a quarter-century of constructivist theorizing in the social sciences and humanities, ethnic groups continue to be conceived as entities and cast as actors. Journalists, policymakers, and researchers routinely frame accounts of ethnic, racial, and national conflict as the struggles of internally homogeneous, externally bounded ethnic groups, races, and nations. In doing so, they unwittingly adopt the language of participants in such struggles, and contribute to the reification of ethnic groups.

In this timely and provocative volume, Rogers Brubaker―well known for his work on immigration, citizenship, and nationalism―challenges this pervasive and commonsense “groupism.” But he does not simply revert to standard constructivist tropes about the fluidity and multiplicity of identity. Once a bracing challenge to conventional wisdom, constructivism has grown complacent, even cliched. That ethnicity is constructed is commonplace; this volume provides new insights into how it is constructed. By shifting the analytical focus from identity to identifications, from groups as entities to group-making projects, from shared culture to categorization, from substance to process, Brubaker shows that ethnicity, race, and nation are not things in the world but perspectives on the ways of seeing, interpreting, and representing the social world.

Genres: Sociology, Nonfiction, Politics, Anthropology, Social Science, Race, International Relations

295 pages, Paperback

First published November 28, 2004

Reviews

[Wessel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I can follow Brubaker to a certain degree, he's another typical example of an idealist who takes his/her constructivist approach to far. Even if Ethnicity 'only exists in our perceptions' that does not make it any less real as an entity that shapes human actions and therefore history.

Besides that, I found the book to be poorly written especially the theoretical parts where Brubaker simply uses to much words to describe what he wants. He did so probably to be more precise, but it makes it really hard to read and at some points it simply hinders for understanding what he exactly is trying to say.

[Hugolane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A useful collection of articles that raises a number of important points relating to how ethnicity is used and discussed in various discourses. The essay on Identity co-written with Fred Cooper is especially thought provoking in its detailed analysis of a very complicated term. The discussion of ethnic violence also stands out, but that is cherry-picking the articles that intersected most with my now scholarly interests.

[Benemint · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of brilliant, thought-provoking articles on nationalism/ethnicity studies. He does not stop at the constructivist view, but pushes further to integrate the cognitive theory.

[Jim Flora · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Ethnicity Without Groups" and "Ethnicity as Cognition" are required reading for anyone interested in issues surrounding the study of ethnicity/race/nationalism.

[Hal]

Recommended by Henning

[Jonathan Lerdau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh

[Dimitrii Ivanov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Собрание статей, на хорошем теоретическом уровне - в основе которого лежит значительный опыт исследований "на земле" - корректирующих многие расхожие представления об этничности, её проявлениях и т.д.

[Sena · Rating 4 out of 5]

challenging!

[Joshua]

Glenn Loury recommends this book here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By7Zo... and in several other talks of his.

[Felipe · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a guidebook for social sciences. it is hard to make social statements after reading it, though. probably my best read this year.