Ethnic Identity
As stated earlier, racial identity is traditionally tied to one’s biological ancestry, which
results in similar physical characteristics in skin tone, facial characteristics, eye shape,
etc. Ethnic identity, or ethnicity, on the other hand, is derived from a sense of shared
heritage, history, traditions, values, similar behaviors, geographical area of origin, and
in some instances, language.^28
Most people consider their ethnic identity to come from the nation-state
where they or their forefathers were born—German or German American, for
example. However, some people’s ethnic identity is derived from a cultural group-
ing that transcends national borders and is grounded in common cultural beliefs,
practices, and in many cases, a shared language. The three groups listed below are
illustrative:- The Basques, located along the Spanish–French border, who speak Euskara
- The Kurds, a large ethnic group in northeast Iraq, with communities in Iran, Syria,
and Turkey, who speak Kurdish - The Roma (more commonly called Gypsies), scattered across Eastern and Western
Europe, who speak Romani
Ethnic identity, like
all identities, can be
communicated
through art forms that
are unique to a
particular ethnicity.
© Taylor Ingalls250 CHAPTER 7•Culture and Identity: Situating the Individual
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