Ethnicity

• Other Authors: Smith, Anthony D. 1949-, Hutchinson, John 1949-
• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Published: New York Oxford University Press 1996; Oxford
• Series: Oxford readers
• Subjects: Ethnicity; Ethnic relations > Political aspects; Nationalism
• Online Access: Click Here to View Status and Holdings.
• Physical Description: ix, 448 pages maps. 22 cm
• Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references and index
• ISBN: 0192892746

Although the term "ethnicity" is recent, the sense of kinship, group solidarity, and common culture to which it refers is as old as the historical record. Ethnic communities have been present in every period and on every continent, and have played an important role in all societies. The sense of a common ethnicity remains a major focus of identification for individuals even today. Ethnic community and identity are also often associated with conflict, particularly with political struggles in various parts of the world. Yet there is no essential connection between ethnicity and conflict, and in many instances, relations may in fact be peaceful and cooperative.