• Title/Summary/Keyword: ethnic identity

Search Result 149, Processing Time 0.022 seconds

Beyond Swahili Myths: Migration and the formation of modern Swahili identity (스와힐리 신화를 넘어서: 이주와 현대적 스와힐리 정체성의 형성)

  • Chang, YongKyu
    • Journal of International Area Studies (JIAS)
    • /
    • v.12 no.4
    • /
    • pp.395-420
    • /
    • 2009
  • Academic discourses on Swahili identity have been focused on either its Bantu or Arabic-originated theories. Both theories, nevertheless, have a common feature: a unilineal origin of Swahili identity. This paper questions on this Swahili identity and argues that Swahili identity has been developed through historical experience and discourses. For this, the paper utilizes Barth's theory of situationalism. Barth(1998(1969)) suggests that maintaining an ethnic identity is a personal or group choice out of multiple layers of social identities according to his or their social environments. Tanzanian Swahili identity is a good case for this analysis. Based on fieldwork conducted at Magomeni and Msasani in Dar es Salaam, a capital of Tanzania, the paper shows that residents in both areas hold strong Swahili identities although they have different social and historical experience. In case of Magomeni, most of the residents came from Zanzibar, a core Swahili cultural area. They trace their original genealogy from Arabia peninsular. Besides, they argue that they speak a proper kiSwahili(Swahili language) distinguishable from inland kiSwahili. On the contrary, residents of Msasani show variety of ethnic identities, far from a proper Swahili. They have adapted Swahili identities since the independence of Tanzania. With the help of strong socialist policies, including a language policy, most of Tanzanian ethnic groups have ignored their own identities and accommodated a national identity, Tanzanian(waTanzania) or Swahili people(waSwahili). Makonde immigrants from Mozambique who consists the majority of residents in Msasani also easily accommodate Swahili identity in the course. Therefore, Makonde have began to rebirth as waSwahili by claiming that they are living in Tanzania and speak kiSwahili as a mother tongue.

On Ethnic Images shown in Japanese Designers' Collections - Focused on Design Comparison between Issey Miyake and Yohji Yamamoto (일본 디자이너 컬렉션에 나타난 에스닉 이미지 - 이세이 미야케와 요지 야마모토의 디자인 비교를 중심으로)

  • Byun, Mi-Yeon;Lee, Ji-Eun;Lee, In-Seong
    • Korean Journal of Human Ecology
    • /
    • v.15 no.5
    • /
    • pp.823-833
    • /
    • 2006
  • The globalization phenomenon of the 21st century has acted as the catalyst to accept diversity, and a new cultural code, ethnic, has emerged in the modem society by the pursuit of diversity throughout the whole society and culture. Unlike preceding studies focusing on ethnic concepts and design development, this study attempted comparative analyses on ethnic trends shown in the collections of two designers, Issey Miyake and Yohji Yamamoto, who have strong ethnic consciousness. It is considered the comparative analysis on the two designers' collections with ethic images will be a guide to indicate the fashion philosophy of the two designers in the category of Japan, and this will be useful as basic data for the establishment of the globalization identity which is needed in the future fashion industry. The study results are as follows. First, it was found that the ethnic code has been so widely accepted by the world designers in a very positive form to accept foreign cultures that the ethnic code is now showing an aspect of eclecticism. Second, designer Issey Miyake has been pursuing his own ethnic style based on his philosophy to liberate humans through continuous researches and efforts on clothes. Third, Yohji Yamamoto has been pursuing a Japanese ethnic style as a designer who has expressed the unique beauty of Japan from the characteristics of Japanese traditional clothes. Fourth, as a result of comparative analyses on collections, they both have pursued an ethnic style based on the unique national characteristics of Japan, but it was also found that their fashion philosophy has developed differently in the same category of ethnic trend.

  • PDF

Identity Juggling in the North Korea-China trade: A Case Study of Korean Chinese(Chosonjok) in Dandong, China (북중무역에서 정체성 저글링: 중국 단둥 소재 조선족 무역상을 사례로)

  • Chung, Su-Yeul;Kim, Minho;Chi, Sang-Hyun;Lee, Sung-Cheol
    • Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
    • /
    • v.20 no.3
    • /
    • pp.355-368
    • /
    • 2017
  • Regarding to Dandong as the gateway city of the Sino-North Korea trade, cultural anthropology characterizes it with a hybridity of four groups with a different combination of ethnic and national identity: Korean Chinese(Chosonjok), South Koreans, North Koreans and Chinese-North Koreans. And, microeconomics views the enterprises in Dandong area have different sizes and types in the Sino-North Korea cross-border trade depending on their owner's ethnic and national identity. However, these researches focuses mainly on the differences between the groups, falling short in showing how the group members utilize their double identities to maintain and prosper their businesses, coping with various and changing situations. This study introduces the concept of 'identity juggling' and applies it to Chosonjok cross-border traders. The results from the in-depth interview and survey indicate they juggles their Korean ethnic identity and Chinese national identity selectively in terms of their bilinguality of the Korean and Chinese, mobility crossing China, South Korea, and North Korea, and prospects on the trade revitalization thanks to potential mitigation of tensions in Korea peninsula.

Ethnic Difference in the Construction of War Bride Narrative: Velina Hasu Houston's Tea and Julia Cho's The Architecture of Loss

  • Hyeon, Youngbin
    • American Studies
    • /
    • v.44 no.2
    • /
    • pp.131-158
    • /
    • 2021
  • This paper examines how nation-specific history of Asian war brides affects different representations of war brides in Velina Hasu Houston's Tea (1984) and Julia Cho's The Architecture of Loss (2003). While war brides had long been excluded from American history, Japanese war brides were brought to public attention in the 1980s. Korean war brides, on the other hand, were kept out of sight until the 2000s. Focusing on how this time gap is related to ethnic difference, this paper analyzes dramaturgical differences between the two plays such as the presence/absence of war bride on stage or ethnic solidarity/familial reconciliation as the main device of war bride memorialization. Such differences, the paper suggests, stem from ethnic/historical differences between Korean and Japanese war brides. Through historical interpretations of the plays, this paper argues that America's military relationships with Korea and Japan were reproduced within the Asian-American families of each drama in ways that raise questions about pan-Asian identity.

Nation-Building in Independent Myanmar: A Comparative Study of a History Textbook and a Civic Textbook

  • Oo, Myo
    • SUVANNABHUMI
    • /
    • v.9 no.1
    • /
    • pp.149-171
    • /
    • 2017
  • This article examines the image of the nation of the Union of Myanmar (Burma) by comparing the history textbook and the civic textbook prescribed in state schools during the period of independence from 1948 to 1958. After the Second World War, the political conditions gave the way for the formation of the Union of Myanmar composed of ethnic nationals in Myanmar. To shape the national identity, the newly-founded independent nation in 1948, introduced textbooks in history and civics for the purpose of nation building. The paper concludes that the history textbook illustrated the golden ages of the Myanmar kingdom by way of national consolidation and portrayed ethnic nationals as homogenous; on the other hand, the civic textbook defined a citizen as one who is born and raised in Myanmar; it also included migrant Asians such as Chinese and South Asians in the fold. The history textbook aspired for the national consolidation of ethnic nationals for the strength and prosperity of the country while the civic textbook required cooperation from both ethnic nationals and migrant Asians for peace and development of the country and the world.

  • PDF

Church Activities and Identity Problems of the 2nd-Generation Korean Immigrants in Atlanta, GA (재미한인2세들의 교회 활동과 정체성 문제 - 미국 조지아 주 애틀랜타의 한인2세를 중심으로 -)

  • Lee, Jeon
    • Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
    • /
    • v.14 no.5
    • /
    • pp.573-586
    • /
    • 2008
  • Many studies of Korean immigrants in America reveal that about 70% of them attend a Korean church. Within Korean immigrant churches members exchange information and advice while they maintain their cultural traditions and ethnic norms. Recently some 2nd-generation Koreans have gradually started their own Korean congregations, known as English ministries(EMs) while some of them leave their Korean Christian churches. The future of Korean ethnic society in America depends much on the extent of 2nd-generation Koreans' retention of their ethnic culture.

  • PDF

The Multicultural Education in Korea: A Comparative Study of Korea & Canada's Multicultural Education

  • Kim, Dae-Won
    • Cross-Cultural Studies
    • /
    • v.32
    • /
    • pp.133-166
    • /
    • 2013
  • Using the observation technique and in-depth interview, the current study compared various aspects of multicultural education between Korea and Canada and suggested the direction Korea's multicultural education needs to take. As a part of class curriculum, the researcher interviewed the representative of Ansan Foreign Center (AFC) and the president of the Kosian's House, a NGO for multicultural educations. The observations and experiences of the researcher were also used in this study. The results of the current study are as follows. First, multicultural education is provided for the minority group in Korea, whereas multiculturalism is included and taught for every student in Canada. In addition, the current multicultural education of Korea focuses on language and culture acquisition to help the students to adjust. Canada, on the other hand, focuses on accepting other cultures and ethnic equality, creating both identities as their ethnic origin and as Canadians. Second, in language educations, both countries had students enrolled in lower school years than their age. However, the differences occurred in terms of emotional support and availability of expert teachers. Third, comparing teacher's attitude towards multicultural education, Korean teachers were not free from perceiving the multicultural student as 'different', whereas Canadian teachers have been taught since little to consider multicultural students as Canadians, but accept their ethnic backgrounds. Based on the results, the current study suggested multicultural education program for the majority group, increase in number of expert language teachers and teaching assistants, and an education program to teach multiculturalism as part of an identity of humankind. The limitations and suggestions for future studies were provided afterwards.

The Ethnic Look Featured on Vivienne Tam's Collection from 1996 to 2005 (비비안 탐의 디자인에 나타난 민속풍에 관한 연구 - 1990년에서 2005년의 컬렉션을 중심으로 -)

  • Ro, Mi-Kyung;Kim, Chan-Ju
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
    • /
    • v.58 no.6
    • /
    • pp.145-157
    • /
    • 2008
  • Vivienne Tam was born in mainland China and educated in Hong Kong and has worked mainly in New York. Within multi-cultural background, she has shown unique fashion designs where western styles and China esprit were harmonized.. This study analyzed the ethnic look featured on Vivienne Tam's design to identify how she has expressed her ethnic identity into fashion. Photos featuring ethnic appeal among her New York collection from 1996 S/S to 2005 F/W were analyzed in terms of shape/silhouette, color, fabric, motifs, detail and accessaries. She utilized frequently chinese motifs and patterns such as bamboo, panda, budha, flowers, letters, and masks. Secondly she modified the shapes of Chinese traditional costume like Quipao to render ethnic appeal. Color, fabric and detail like frog and embroidery also contributed to enhance China mood. Comparatively, she used western clothing items including shirts, blouses, skirts, pants, dresses, and coats and maintained the silhouette tight and fit so that most her designs look wearable and westernized.