LOUISIANA CAJUN ETHNICITY: SYMBOLIC OR STRUCTURAL?

Abstract

This study examines the applicability of the symbolic ethnicity argument to Louisiana Cajuns . Using data from the Public Use Microdata System of the 1990 census of population , an analysis of spatial concentration , ancestry claims , language use , and patterns of marriage suggests that Cajun ethnicity is not fully apprehended by the symbolic ethnicity view . The analysis of socioeconomic characteristics with logistic regression equations shows that Cajun ethnicity is associated with comparatively low socioeconomic status and is connected to jobs in the textile and oil industries . Using qualitative data drawn from field observations and interviews , the relationship between the shift in the structural basis of Cajun ethnicity and changes in Cajuns' perception of their identity is also analyzed . It points to an increased emphasis on the Acadian heritage despite increasing acculturation , a continued importance placed on the French language despite its decreasing use , and a renewed sense of ethnic pride despite a disadvantaged social status . We conclude that there are symbolic elements to the resurgence of Cajun ethnicity but that they reflect shifting socioeconomic circumstances rather than a movement toward assimilation .