Ethnic Realignment: A Comparative Study of Government Influences on Identity

by Matthew Hoddie

Overview

Ethnic Realignments offers a fresh look at the phenomenon of rapidly changing ethnic identity claims. By focusing on the countries of Australia, China, Malaysia, and India, Matthew Hoddie provides a comparative study arguing that government policies designed to favor one ethnic group over another can influence individuals among the disfavored group to change their "identities" and recast themselves as members of the favored group. Hoddie employs a statistical methodology to lay out the conditions and factors that lead to these ethnic identity changes, thereby contributing to the ongoing debate concerning the malleability of ethnic identity. Ethnic Realignments is a significant work for scholars interested in the politics of ethnicity and the effectiveness of affirmative action policies.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780739113257
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	02/27/2006
Pages:	187
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.56(d)

About the Author

Matthew Hoddie is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Texas A&M University.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 A Theory of Ethnic Realignment
Chapter 2 Documenting Ethnic Realignment
Chapter 3 Australia
Chapter 4 The People's Republic of China
Chapter 5 Malaysia
Chapter 6 Assam
Chapter 7 Conclusions

What People are Saying About This

Donald Rothchild

This book is an important addition to our knowledge on the contextual natureof ethnicity. Through a careful examination of census data, Matthew Hoddie reveals the relationship that exists between preferential government policies and ethnic identity change.

William Safran

This book provides an interesting, and in many ways original, approach to the understanding of ethnic identity formation. The author argues that ethnic identity is malleable, and in detailed and carefully documented case studies of four countries he shows how groups and individuals adjust their identities in response to political opportunities and pressures and policy incentives and constraints. Analyzing the tensions between assimilation and identity maintenance, and discussing how his findings relate to, and challenge, instrumentalist, constructivist, and other explanations, the author makes an important contribution to theorizing about ethnicity.

Editorial Reviews

Ethnic Realignments is a short book that clearly articulates its main argument....this is a clear and well-written addition to the debate.

Political Studies Review - 2008

Ethnic Realignments is a short book that clearly articulates its main argument....this is a clear and well-written addition to the debate.

Political Studies Review

This book provides an interesting, and in many ways original, approach to the understanding of ethnic identity formation. The author argues that ethnic identity is malleable, and in detailed and carefully documented case studies of four countries he shows how groups and individuals adjust their identities in response to political opportunities and pressures and policy incentives and constraints. Analyzing the tensions between assimilation and identity maintenance, and discussing how his findings relate to, and challenge, instrumentalist, constructivist, and other explanations, the author makes an important contribution to theorizing about ethnicity.--William Safran, University of Colorado, Boulder

This book is an important addition to our knowledge on the contextual natureof ethnicity. Through a careful examination of census data, Matthew Hoddie reveals the relationship that exists between preferential government policies and ethnic identity change.--Donald Rothchild, University of California, Davis

Ethnic Realignments is a short book that clearly articulates its main argument....this is a clear and well-written addition to the debate.--Political Studies Review

From the Publisher

This book is an important addition to our knowledge on the contextual natureof ethnicity. Through a careful examination of census data, Matthew Hoddie reveals the relationship that exists between preferential government policies and ethnic identity change.

Donald Rothchild

This book provides an interesting, and in many ways original, approach to the understanding of ethnic identity formation. The author argues that ethnic identity is malleable, and in detailed and carefully documented case studies of four countries he shows how groups and individuals adjust their identities in response to political opportunities and pressures and policy incentives and constraints. Analyzing the tensions between assimilation and identity maintenance, and discussing how his findings relate to, and challenge, instrumentalist, constructivist, and other explanations, the author makes an important contribution to theorizing about ethnicity.

William Safran