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Studying Ethnicity Geographically GEOG 247 Cultural Geography Ethnic geography is the study of the spatial The Geographies aspects of ethnicity.

of  Cultural geographers: Race and Ethnicity  identify ethnic regions  study ethnic diffusion and interaction Part 2  delve into the relationship between people and their environment (ecology) Prof. Anthony Grande and Hunter College‐CUNY ©AFG 2015  differentiate ethnic landscapes.

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Regional Ethnic Ecology, Interaction, Ethnic Regions Diffusion and Landscape

Ethnic homeland is a region occupied by a Netherlands Taiwan . group of people with common ancestry . who have developed a distinct culture and . whose interaction with the environment over time has created a visible, recognizable landscape that is now associated with them. Michigan – The group’s characteristics are usually different from those of groups in nearby areas. – The area can be considered a hearth for the group.

 These visible recognizable cultural characteristics can be transferred to a another area (diffusion) when the group moves to a new location and settles (concentrates) there.

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Ethnic Regions Tribal “Homelands” in South Africa “Homeland” connotes a strong sense of attachment to the region and implies some measure of political/social control over it. What is homeland? Mother country – fatherland - place of one’s birth - native soil

However, throughout history outsiders -- as a reverse means of control -- have divided homeland areas, imposed foreign political control and instituted rules and regulations (laws) that may not be acceptable to the native culture group. Textbook asks: Are ethnic groups always minorities? Can a majority group form an ethnic region? Fig. 7-10: During the apartheid era, South Africa created a series of black “homelands” with the expectation that every black would be a citizen of one of them. These were abolished with the end of 6 apartheid.

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Homelands Ethnic Regions in Yugoslavia

The in 1914 The Balkans in 1994 Yugoslavia was established after WW I to make the small Balkan countries more power- ful as a unit. It officially recog- nized five of its member states or “republics” as homelands.

The unification of a homeland for the and the creation of Kurdistan was prevented after WW I by European powers who drew political borders through the area, thus lessening Fig. 7-22: Yugoslavia’s six republics until 1992 included much ethnic the power of a unified people. diversity. Brutal occurred in Bosnia, Croatia, 7 and Kosovo during the civil wars of the 1990s. 8

Ethnic Homelands North America is composed Homeland of the and Ethnic Islands of native (ethnic homelands) and immigrant Cherokee Indian of North America populations who established themselves in certain areas (ethnic islands). They exist is various states of vitality.

A moribund ethnic homeland is one that was once thriving but now in decline or is a remnant (relic) area.

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Ethnic Islands in Wisconsin Ethnic Islands

Ethnic Islands: Small ethnic areas in the countryside; sometimes called folk islands.

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Ethnic Concentrations Local Ethnic Regions in Chicago • Ethnic Neighborhood A voluntary urban community where people of like origin reside by choice. • Ghetto An area of a city where an lives either by choice, lack of a better opportunity or force. • A area outside of a city (suburban ethnic neighborhood) that becomes home to an immigrant ; usually wealthier immigrants. Fig. 7-5: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and European Americans are clustered in different areas of the city. 14

Jewish Venetian Ghetto Los Angeles Chinatown 16th Century

Present-day ethnic urban region with an ethnic landscape.

Note the word “nuovo” on the map, an indication of ghetto expansion.

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Pattern of African American Cultural Diffusion and Ethnicity Migration in the U.S. Migration: the large scale movement of people between different regions. Most migration of ethnic groups falls under the definition of relocation migration.

 Chain Migration  Ethnic Cleansing The tendency of people to migrate over a period of time from specific The removal of an unwanted minor- source areas to specific destina- ity populations from a nation-state tions. (Dominicans and Upper Manhat- through harassment, mass killing, tan.) deportation, or imprisonment. ( in Nazi Germany; Rwandan genocide)  Involuntary (forced) Migration  Return Migration The forced displacement of a pop- ulation, whether by government Ethnic diffusion that involves the policy, warfare, or other violence, voluntary movement of a group of ethnic cleansing, disease, natural migrants back to its ancestral or Now there is a return migration to the South. disaster or enslavement. (Darfur region of the Sudan) native country or homeland. (African- American return to areas in the South) Fig. 7-8: Twentieth-century African American migration within the U.S. 17 consisted mainly of migration from the rural south to cities of the 18 Northeast, Midwest, and West.

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Cultural Diffusion and Ethnicity Ethnic Ecology Cultural Pre-adaptation Cultural simplification A complex of adaptive traits and skills possessed in The process by which immigrant ethnic groups lose advance of migration by a group, giving it survival ability and competitive advantage in occupying the certain aspects of their traditional culture in the new environment. process of settling overseas, creating a new culture . Scandinavians in Wisconsin that is less complex than the old. . Cubans in South Florida Cultural Mal-adaptation – But languages and dialects, traditional food flavorings, and Poor or inadequate adaptation that occurs when a modernized religious services offer good examples of the group pursues an adaptive strategy that fails to provide preservation of the archaic. the necessities of life or, destroys the environment that nourishes it. . Try to plant homeland crops in new environment (Bantu in southern Africa) . Use improper techniques (British in subtropical Africa) 19 20

Caucasus Ethnic Ecology: Cultural Ecology: Diversity within a small area Hillside Farming in Asia

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Ethnic Cultural Interaction Ethnic Cultural Interaction

Ethnicity interacts with: Ethnicity interacts with . Religion: religion tenets and belief systems will influence . Types of employment: how people will relate to others . Certain groups have tended to excel in employment/labor . Health: attributes affecting health as diet, seeking medical niches; can be ecology related or a history of working with attention, vaccinations, smoking, personal hygiene, body a skill set; mutilations, etc. vary with culture . With immigrant groups this is evident when they bring their . Business activity: how business is done; the way items trades with them to a new location; are bought and sold: post prices/barter for best deal . Opposite occurs when groups whose skill sets cannot be utilized are employed in low wage and menial jobs. . Stereotypes may develop as Korean grocers, Chinese launderers, Italian cooks, Kenyan long-distance runners, Irish police officers, Jewish merchants, Dominican baseball players, Native American construction workers, German brewers. 23 24

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Religion and Neighborhood Dominant Ethnic Cuisine in Businesses North America

Source: After Zelinsky, 1985: 66.

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Ethnic Ethnic Landscapes: Landscapes Who lives there? Ethnic : A readily visible marker of ethnicity on the landscape.

http://www1.cuny.edu/portal_ur/content /nationofimmigrants/gallery.php 27 28

Ethnic Landscapes Alien Culture? How else!

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Urban Ethnic Landscapes: Urban Ethnic Landscapes: Greek Area in Astoria, Queens San Diego Mural

Terry G. Jordan-Bychkov What are the hints? Terry G. Jordan-Bychkov 31 32

Religious Ethnic NEXT: Landscape Symbols

Politics of Culture

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