A. Race vs Ethnic Group

1. Race
   1. genetic differences
   2. social view – more variation within than between races
   3. biological view – some diseases are race specific
2. Ethnic Group
   1. common ancestors
   2. cultural tradition (religion, language, national origin...)
   3. often a minority within a larger society
   4. immigrant vs indiginous

1. Acculturation
   1. adopts ways, behavior, and values of host society
   2. retains some social distance (perceived distance)
   3. segregation
2. Assimilation
   1. complete integration
   2. intermarriage
   3. residence
3. Cultural Simplification
   1. only fragments of culture get transplanted
   2. specific groups from specific places at specific times
   3. absorbing barriers
   4. permeable barriers
   5. new choices
4. syncretism
   fusion of old and new

1. Ethnic homelands
   1. large area
   2. overlap functional region boundaries
   3. reinforce ethnicity
   4. often indigenous
2. Outliers
   1. Ethnic Islands
      • rural
      • isolated
   2. Ethnic neighborhoods
      • urban
      • voluntary communities
      • often transitory
3. Ethnoburbs

Go back to Human Geography page