Ethnos—State or Process? (Landscape and Ethnos, X1)

Abstract

AbstractThe author takes issue with the view expressed by M. I. Artamonov, an archeologist, that an ethnos, or ethnic group, represents a social state rather than a process. In the author's view, ethnos IS a vast system in constant development, which tends to be stabilized by endogamy and undermined by exogamy. An ethnic hierarchy is proposed to illustrate the process of ethnogenesis. It ranges from the lowest order of ethnic grouping, a consortium, through subethnos, ethnos and superethnos to mankind as a whole. Each order in the hierarchy is distinguished by particular forms of associations, trends of development and culminating phases. The concept of ethnos as an ongoing process is illustrated with reference to ethnic change in ancient China and in the Ottoman empire.