The term 'ethnocentrism' is derived from the Greek terms 'ethnos' (ethnic group, nation, or people) and 'centre,' implying that one's 'ethnic group' should be at the center. The term 'ethnocentrism' was coined by Ludwig Gumplowicz (1838–1909), a Polish sociologist, in 1879 (Gumplowicz, 1879), and used in Gumplowicz's study, which was written in German and Polish, according to historical research by Bizumic (2014). William Sumner (1840–1910), an American economist, popularized the term by introducing it into the English language (Sumner, 1906). Sumner, on the other hand, did not mention Gumplowicz's study, which means that later ethnocentrism academics credit Sumner with coining the word (e.g. Adorno et al., 1950).
Ethnocentrism, according to Gumplowicz, was comparable to geocentrism or anthrocentrism, except that the reference point was one's own ethnicity. It is the opinion that one's own ethnic group is superior to and preferred to other ethnic groups, according to him. 'The perspective of things in which one's own group is the center of everything and all others are scaled and graded with reference to it,' according to Sumner (1906, p. 13). Feelings of in-group loyalty and togetherness, the rejection of out-groups, a perception of in-group superiority, and the exploitation of out-groups were all included in Sumner's definition of ethnocentrism.
He also thought that in-group optimism would be connected to out-group negative in general. Later studies built on this idea of ethnocentrism, frequently narrowing its definition. Adorno et al. (1950), for example, effectively used the term "ethnocentrism" primarily to refer to bias towards out-groups. Recent research, on the other hand, suggests that Sumner's premise — that in-group love and out-group hatred should be positively correlated — is erroneous (Brewer, 1999). Ethnocentrism's core features may be found throughout cultures. These are the following:
- A strong sense of group cohesion and group-devotion;
- Preference for the ethnic in-group, a belief in one’s own ethnic group’s superiority, a desire to maintain ethnic purity, and approval of the exploitation of ethnic out-groups (Bizumic & Duckitt, 2012).
As a result, "ethnocentrism" encompasses more than out-group prejudice and in-group favoritism. Though it crosses across with each of these, it is fundamentally unique. There is a lot of disagreement over what creates ethnocentrism. But, before we get into that, it's important to grasp what a 'ethnic group' is.
Definitions of Ethnicity in the English Language
It's best to start with 'dictionary' or 'lexical' definitions when defining 'ethnicity,' as these represent how the idea is generally used and understood. However, when it comes to the concept of 'ethnicity,' there is some ambiguity. A'social community with a shared cultural tradition,' according to the current Oxford English Dictionary, whereas a 'human group with racial, religious, linguistic, and other qualities in common,' according to the Collins English Dictionary.
According to Merriam Webster, an ethnicity is "a race or large group of people who share the same customs, religion, origin, or other characteristics." There is a little dispute between these three dictionaries over how the term "ethnicity" should be defined, and this debate mirrors a larger divide among ethnicity specialists on this issue. The fundamental distinction is between the older school of thinking, known as the 'Primordialists,' and the newer school of thought, known as the 'Constructivists' or 'Subjectivists,' which has gained popularity since the 1960s.
Ethnic groupings, according to the Primordialists, are exceedingly old since they are ultimately founded on similar ancestry, or blood ties. As a result, they share a fundamental point of contact with 'race.'
Members of ethnic groups tend to have a folk sense of shared ancestors and of being a form of family, which is mirrored in the way they tend to have a large-scale kinship group. This is supported by genetic evidence, which shows that ethnic groupings have different genetic clusters (see Salter, 2007). Because it pertains to 'race,' which, as we've shown, is largely a function of genetics, the Collins Dictionary definition is the most Primitive.
Indeed, the phrase "ethnic minority" is commonly used to refer to a racial rather than a simply cultural minority. Ethnic identities are just a question of 'culture' for the Constructivists. They are arbitrary and prone to change, which means that a person's ethnic identity may vary over their lifetime. As a result, ethnic groupings are somewhat insecure, as they are solely the result of external circumstances.
Result
As a result, 'Constructivists' base their views on cultural or environmental determinism, or the belief that a phenomena may be completely explained by environmental or cultural causes. There is no room for a strong genetic explanation because culture and environment are thought to explain the establishment of 'ethnic identity.'