Exploring
Ethnicity
Use for Section A of the Lesson on Ethnic Discrimination
1. Reflecting on Your Family Background
- Where were your grandparents or great-grandparents born?
- What language(s) did/do your grandparents or great-grandparents speak?
What about their parents?
- What holidays did they celebrate? What special customs did/do they follow?
What foods did they eat?
- Does your family now speak these languages or continue any of these practises?
2. Definitions
· ethnicity: Refers to membership of in a culturally- and geographically
defined group that share cultural practises including but not limited
to holidays, food, language, and customs, or religion. Italian, Kurdish,
and Bantu are examples of ethnic groups. People of the same race can be
of different ethnicities. For example, Asians can be Japanese, Korean,
Thai, or many other ethnicities.
· nationality: Refers to country of citizenship. Nationality is
sometimes used to mean ethnicity, although the two are technically different.
Important!
· People can share the same nationality but be of different ethnic
groups. For example, citizens of the United States are of many different
ethnic backgrounds.
· People who share an ethnic identity can be of different nationalities.
Turkish citizens of Turkey and Turkish citizens in Germany share an ethnic
identity but are of different nationalities.
3. What you have learned about your own nationality and ethnic background?
Write your thoughts in a journal or in the space below.
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