Ethnic/Racial Identity: Fuzzy Categories and Shifting Positions. Issue 1 (May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Deaux, Kay
• Other Names: Alba Richard guest-editor.; Prewitt Kenneth guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. Volume 677:Issue 1(2018)
• Page Start: 39
• Page End: 47
• Publication Date: 2018-05
• Subjects: categorization -- ethnic identity -- identity expression -- multiple identities -- social construction; Social sciences -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- United States -- Periodicals; Political science -- Periodicals; United States -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; 300
• DOI: 10.1177/0002716218754834
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0002-7162

Abstract

Demographic changes and increasing diversity in the United States bring about changes in how people define themselves and how they categorize others. I describe three issues that are relevant to the labeling and self-definition of ethnic groups in U.S. society: (1) the creation and definition of identity categories, (2) the subjectivity of self-definition, and (3) the flexibility of identity expression. In each case, substantial research from social psychology and related disciplines supports a socially constructed definition and use of ethnic categories, wherein identities are subject to the influence of local and national norms and are amenable to change across situations and over time.