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Ethno-Cultural Symbolism and Group Identity

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The Palgrave Handbook of Ethnicity

Abstract

This chapter is aimed at helping researchers study the ways in which communities and individuals perceive their own ethnic identity under the conditions of cosmopolitanism, transnationalism and mobility. Such analysis, the chapter argues, can be successfully conducted within three main contexts: in the era of constant movement around the globe, the ethnic mobilizes and expresses its multiidentical, situational, and contextual nature. Thoughts are shared on the necessity of finding a precise scholarly lexicon and suitable combined approach to ethnic phenomena today. The term ethnic as a scholarly construct is suggested to combine the contents of both ethnos and ethnicity and to denominate the past and present specifics and processes of ethnic identity phenomenon. Also suggested is the use of ethno-symbolism to order and sort out, trace the dynamics, and reveal the malleable position of different identity components. Discussed are some specifics of the ethnic symbols, along with their classification and role at the ethnic/national level. Finally, some ideas are provided about the scale and order of the cultural symbols and their development in the recent global situation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with Ethnographic Museum, Bulgarian Academy of sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Elya Tzaneva

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  1. Elya Tzaneva
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Correspondence to Elya Tzaneva .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept of Socio & Anthro, Rm 309, Univ of Canterbury Dept of Socio & Anthro, Rm 309, Christchurch, New Zealand

    Steven Ratuva

Section Editor information

  1. Department of Anthropology and Sociology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand

    Steven Ratuva

  2. Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand

    Steven Ratuva

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Tzaneva, E. (2019). Ethno-Cultural Symbolism and Group Identity. In: Ratuva, S. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Ethnicity. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0242-8_2-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0242-8_2-2

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-13-0242-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-13-0242-8

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Ethno-Cultural Symbolism and Group Identity
    Published:
    23 March 2019

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0242-8_2-2

  2. Original

    Ethno-Cultural Symbolism and Group Identity
    Published:
    31 January 2019

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0242-8_2-1

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