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VICSociologyQuick questions
Unit 3: Culture and ethnicity
Quick questions on The sociological concept of ethnicity: VCE Sociology
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What is defining ethnicity?Show answer
Ethnicity refers to a shared sense of belonging based on a common culture, ancestry, language, religion, customs or history. An ethnic group is a group of people who identify with one another on these grounds and are often recognised by others as distinct. Importantly, ethnicity rests on a sense of shared identity, so it includes both how people see themselves and how others categorise them.
What is ethnicity is socially constructed?Show answer
Sociologists stress that ethnicity is socially constructed. The boundaries of an ethnic group are not natural or fixed: they are created, maintained and sometimes changed through social processes. Individuals can hold multiple ethnic identities, and identities can shift across generations as people migrate, intermarry and adapt. This is why ethnicity is best understood as fluid rather than permanent.
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