Conceptualizing Ethnic Identity Formation: Debate Between Primordialism, Instrumentalism and Constructivism

Abstract

A lot of research has been done on ethnicity and its dimensions, still researchers remain divisive over the question- what constitutes ethnicity? Various scholars try to analyze ethnicity from different angles and are influenced by the respective academic frameworks within which they work. There is no agreement over the nature of ethnicity and its processes. No surprise that the term invites a lot of definitional arguments and debates among contemporary researchers. This research paper explains the origin of the term 'ethnicity' and goes on to discuss the similarities and differences with the associated concepts such as race and nation. The three main approaches to ethnic identity building and the debate among them have been discussed in brief. Primordialism views ethnicity as something given and based on primordial ties such as blood and lineage. Other schools of thought such as instrumentalism and constructivism take a different perspective altogether. The instrumentalists argue that ethnic identities are formed so as to gain access to economic and political resources. The constructivists argue that ethnic identity formation is a gradual process of social construction and based upon subjective consciousness of the group members. The recent trend in ethnic studies is primarily interested in exploring the fluid and flexible nature of ethnic identity formation.