Definitions of Ethnicity in Communication Scholarship: A New Perspective

Abstract

To discover how ethnicity is defined in communication scholarship, we analyzed the definitions of ethnicity employed in articles published in communication journals between 2000 and 2016. Our results indicate that almost all such studies (94%) contained operational definitions; however, far fewer (approximately 14%) contained theoretical definitions of ethnicity. Theoretical definitions describe the phenomenon under study in abstract terms or in terms of concepts. Operational definitions are utilization of the concepts through assessment or measurement of them. The distinction offers the difference between conceptualization and utilization of the concept. This paper focused on conceptualization of ethnicity in communication scholarship. A thematic analysis of the theoretical definitions revealed five essential elements of ethnicity: origins, descriptors, functions, location, and interaction with the social environment. An analysis of the theoretical definitions of ethnicity published in scholarly books across the same period of time revealed the same set of elements. We used these essential elements to draft a new theoretical definition of ethnicity that highlights the central role of communication in the development and maintenance of ethnicity.