[en] This article argues that minorities use key aspects of their ethnic identity –cultural elements– to enhance their expansion, recognition and legitimacy. Through a theoretical meta-analysis; first, we argue that Mexican migrants in Brussels and indigenes in Ecuador use elements such as language, music and festivities to highlight their boundaries as distinct ethnic and political groups, showing varying degrees of social closure and groupness. Second, we demonstrate that the use of cultural elements has a direct impact on the recruitment and dissemination of their political movement beyond their enclosed group. Finally, we conclude that identity categories such as culture have a two-fold purpose: as a coagulant of group consciousness and as a strategy of expansion of minorities’ ethnic boundaries in order to strengthen their political agendas and activism.
Disciplines :
Sociology & social sciences
Author, co-author :
Lara Guerrero, Larisa Viridiana ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences sociales > Centre d'études de l'ethnicité et des migrations (CEDEM)
Jima Gonzalez, Alexandra; University of Salamanca
Paradela López, Miguel; University of Salamanca
Language :
English
Title :
Ethnic boundary configuration and politics: a comparative study on Mexican migrants and Ecuadorian Indigenous peoples
Publication date :
March 2018
Event name :
2018 SLAS Annual Conference
Event organizer :
University of Southampton
Event date :
22-23 March 2018
Audience :
International
References of the abstract :
This article argues that minorities use key aspects of their ethnic identity –cultural elements– to enhance their expansion, recognition and legitimacy. Through a theoretical meta-analysis; first, we argue that Mexican migrants in Brussels and indigenes in Ecuador use elements such as language, music and festivities to highlight their boundaries as distinct ethnic and political groups, showing varying degrees of social closure and groupness. Second, we demonstrate that the use of cultural elements has a direct impact on the recruitment and dissemination of their political movement beyond their enclosed group. Finally, we conclude that identity categories such as culture have a two-fold purpose: as a coagulant of group consciousness and as a strategy of expansion of minorities’ ethnic boundaries in order to strengthen their political agendas and activism.
