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rte.sushil
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RC on ethnicity

by rte.sushil Mon Nov 25, 2013 11:01 am

Two divergent definitions have dominated sociologists’ discussions of the nature of ethnicity. The first emphasizes the primordial and unchanging character of ethnicity. In this view, people have an essential need for belonging that is satisfied by membership in groups based on shared ancestry and culture. A different conception of ethnicity de-emphasizes the cultural component and defines ethnic groups as interest groups. In this view, ethnicity serves as a way of mobilizing a certain population behind issues relating to its economic position. While both of these definitions are useful, neither fully captures the dynamic and changing aspects of ethnicity in the United States. Rather, ethnicity is more satisfactorily conceived of as a process in which preexisting communal bonds and common cultural attributes are adapted for instrumental purposes according to changing real-life situations.
One example of this process is the rise of participation by Native American people in the broader United States political system since the Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s. Besides leading Native Americans to participate more actively in politics (the number of Native American legislative officeholders more than doubled), this movement also evoked increased interest in tribal history and traditional culture. Cultural and instrumental components of ethnicity are not mutually exclusive, but rather reinforce one another.
The Civil Rights movement also brought changes in the uses to which ethnicity was put by Mexican American people. In the 1960’s, Mexican Americans formed community-based political groups that emphasized ancestral heritage as a way of mobilizing constituents. Such emerging issues as immigration and voting rights gave Mexican American advocacy groups the means by which to promote ethnic solidarity. Like European ethnic groups in the nineteenth-century United States, late-twentieth-century Mexican American leaders combined ethnic with contemporary civic symbols. In 1968 Henry Cisneros, then mayor of San Antonio, Texas, cited Mexican leader Benito Juarez as a model for Mexican Americans in their fight for contemporary civil rights. And every year, Mexican Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo as fervently as many Irish American people embrace St. Patrick’s Day (both are major holidays in the countries of origin), with both holidays having been reinvented in the context of the United States and linked to ideals, symbols, and heroes of the United States.

Quest1:
The author of the passage refers to Native American people in the second paragraph in order to provide an example of
(A) the ability of membership in groups based on shared ancestry and culture to satisfy an essential human need
(B) how ethnic feelings have both motivated and been strengthened by political activity
(C) how the Civil Rights movement can help promote solidarity among United States ethnic groups
(D) how participation in the political system has helped to improve a group’s economic situation
(E) the benefits gained from renewed study of ethnic history and culture

Correct answer: B

My query: Why not A but B
My explanation: Last line of first para
, ethnicity is more satisfactorily conceived of as a process in which preexisting communal bonds and common cultural attributes are adapted for instrumental purposes according to changing real-life situations.


here hanging real-life situations is same as human needs
and preexisting communal bonds and common cultural is same as shared ancestry and culture
then why not A:



Question2:
Information in the passage supports which of the following statements about many European ethnic groups in the nineteenth-century United States?
(A) They emphasized economic interests as a way of mobilizing constituents behind certain issues.
(B) They conceived of their own ethnicity as being primordial in nature.
(C) They created cultural traditions that fused United States symbols with those of their countries of origin.
(D) They de-emphasized the cultural components of their communities in favor of political interests.
(E) They organized formal community groups designed to promote a renaissance of ethnic history and culture.


Correct Answer: C

My query: Why not D but C?

My explanation:
In the lines "like European ethnic groups in the nineteenth-century United States, late-twentieth-century Mexican American leaders combined ethnic with contemporary civic symbols."

Leaders combines ethnic with Civic symbols(some political interests) as mentioned in previous lines.

//Mexican people (ethnic groups)came closer for political interests
The Civil Rights movement also brought changes in the uses to which ethnicity was put by Mexican American people. In the 1960’s, Mexican Americans formed community-based political groups that emphasized ancestral heritage as a way of mobilizing constituents. Such emerging issues as immigration and voting rights gave Mexican American advocacy groups the means by which to promote ethnic solidarity.
RonPurewal
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Re: RC on ethnicity

by RonPurewal Tue Nov 26, 2013 3:21 am

here hanging real-life situations is same as human needs


Hmm? No.

"Changing real-life situations":
e.g.,
your country goes to war
industries come and go
people lose their jobs
populations migrate
etc.

"Human needs"
e.g.,
We need love, food, water, a sense of purpose, etc.

No similarity.
RonPurewal
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Re: RC on ethnicity

by RonPurewal Tue Nov 26, 2013 3:21 am

For question 2, most of what is said about Mexicans is irrelevant, because Mexico is not in Europe. The question focuses specifically on European groups.

The only sentence that's relevant here is the one that starts with "Like European ethnic groups", because that's the only sentence that deals with Euro groups. Everything else is about Mexicans.

What's most interesting here, to me, is the fact that you quoted "combines ethnic with civic symbols" as evidence. Those words are exactly what choice C says, yet you somehow concluded that the answer isn't choice C.