Extension of Barth's Concept on Ethnic Boundaries To Include Both Other Groups and Developmental Stages of Ethnic Groups

• NCJ Number: 149153
• Journal: Human Relations Volume: 32 Issue: 1 Dated: (1979) Pages: 1-17
• Author(s): K T Molohon; R Paton; M Lambert
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 17 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Theoretical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper extends Barth's concept of ethnic boundaries and boundary strength to include boundaries maintained by other groups.

Abstract

Rather than focusing on ethnic acculturation or assimilation, or on ethnic interrelationships, the authors stressed ethnic persistence and its ramifications for comparative analysis. To explore the question of whether groups are related on a continuum through the quality or strength of their boundaries, the authors compared three types of groups: simple groups, subcultures, and ethnic groups. Following this comparison, the analysis differentiates between preliminary, secondary, or established ethnicity as a developmental continuum. The example of the Hutterites, now the largest family-type communal ethnic group in the Western world, was used to prove the utility of this three-stage model of ethnic development. The application of Barth's concept of ethnic boundary behavior to group identity in urban areas could yield important insights for urban theory and research. 40 references