Metamorphoses of ethnocultural identity in the modern urban environment

  • Olga V. Kurbacheva Belarusian State University, Niezaliezhnasci Avenue, Minsk 220030, Belarus

Abstract

This article examines the characteristics of creating an ethnocultural identity in modern urban settings. The author notes trends in the actualisation of ethnocultural identity while accounting for the population’s numerical and age indicators, and the existence of an aggravating sociodynamic external element. The research focuses in particular on highlighting problematic elements of immigrant ethnic self-categorisation: ethnic culture transforms into a symbolic story and a means of self-presentation in a new ethnocultural setting. The status and importance of ethnocultural identity in the daily urban environment of ethnophores is another issue that the author brings up. The preservation of local identity and intragroup cohesiveness emphasises the institutional and individual formats for discussing ethnicity. It is stressed that in order to understand ethnicity, one must adopt the constructivist paradigm, which views ethnicity as a flexible and open structure whose membership is mostly decided by symbolic markers rather than objective markers.

Author Biography

Olga V. Kurbacheva, Belarusian State University, Niezaliezhnasci Avenue, Minsk 220030, Belarus

PhD (philosophy), docent; associate professor at the department of philosophy and methodology of science, faculty of philosophy and social sciences

References

  1. Weber M. Istoriya khozyaistva. Gorod [History of the economy. City]. Kuchkov GE, Sarkitov ND, editors. Moscow: Kanonpress-Ts; 2001. 576 p. Co-published by the «Kuchkovo pole». Russian.
  2. Starovoitov MK, Medvedeva LN. [Typology of cities: evolution and versatility of approaches]. National Interests: Priorities and Security. 2008;4(6):71–75. Russian. EDN: ISCKRT.
  3. Stefanenko TG. Etnopsikhologiya [Ethnopsychology]. Moscow: Institute of Psychology RAS, Akademicheskii proekt; 2000. 320 p. Co-published by the «Delovaya kniga». Russian.
  4. Naumenko LI, Vodolazhskaya TV. Etnicheskaya i grazhdanskaya prinadlezhnost’ v vospriyatii naseleniya sovremennoi Belarusi [Ethnicity and citizenship in the perception of the population of modern Belarus]. Minsk: Belaruskaya navuka; 2006. 183 p. Russian.
  5. Bityukova DP. [Where migrants live in European capitals]. Demoskop Weekly [Internet]. 2013 [cited 2024 January 10]. Available from: https://www.demoscope.ru/weekly/2013/0557/tema01.php. Russian.
  6. Grigor’ev DS. [Discrimination against migrants in the socio-economic sphere: the role of intergroup attitudes of the host population]. Social Psychology and Society. 2017;8(3):63–84. Russian. EDN: ZQQMDH.
  7. Berry JW. Mutual attitudes among immigrants and ethnocultural groups in Canada. International Journal of Intercultural Relations. 2006;30:719–734. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijintrel.2006.06.004.
  8. Kurbacheva OV. The phenomenon of ethnic renaissance in the context of global transcultural dialogue. Bulletin of Kemerovo State University. Series: Humanities and Social Sciences. 2018;4:49–55. Russian. EDN: YSDUNN.
  9. Shirokogorov SM. Etnos. Issledovanie osnovnykh printsipov izmeneniya etnicheskikh i etnograficheskikh yavlenii [Ethnos. Study of the basic principles of changes in ethnic and ethnographic phenomena]. Moscow: URSS; 2022. 136 p. Russian.
  10. Barth F, editor. Ethnic groups and boundaries. The social organization of culture difference. Pil’shchikov I, translator. Moscow: Novoe izdatel’stvo; 2006. 200 p. Russian.
  11. Drobizheva LM. Does ethnicity remain in the urban environment? Some answers to the mysteries of the big city. University Proceedings. Volga Region. Social Sciences. 2013;3:73–83. Russian. EDN: RXOPCN.
Published
2024-07-17
Keywords: ethnos, ethnicity, ethnocultural identity, city, metropolis, migration, migrant, ethnophor, tolerance, ethnic stereotypes, dialogue of cultures, constructivism
How to Cite
Kurbacheva, O. V. (2024). Metamorphoses of ethnocultural identity in the modern urban environment. Journal of the Belarusian State University. Philosophy and Psychology, 2, 67-73. Retrieved from https://journals.bsu.by/index.php/philosophy/article/view/6120