Ethnolinguistic Groups Research Articles

Understanding Identity and Diaspora: The Case of the Sama-Bajau of Maritime Southeast Asia

The Sama-Bajau or the Sinama-speaking peoples are deemed to be the most widely dispersed indigenous ethno-linguistic group in maritime Southeast Asia. The Sama-Bajau “diaspora,” which constitute a locus of points across territorially-defined spaces, gives rise to specific socio-cultural contexts which in turn results in the emergence of distinct notions of identity. This diaspora, therefore, gives the student of culture the opportunity to observe ethno-genesis as either “completed,” incipient or on-going processes of the creation of identities that exhibit rare tensions between ideas of sameness and difference. The former is a function of a common origin, which may be real or perceived, while the latter results from site-specific sources of distinction such as those brought about by socio-cultural adaptation to environment, intercultural contact with other peoples or other external sources of culture change. This article interrogates this tension between sameness and difference through a selection of examples seen in labels of self-designation, language, and, religious and ritual practices.

Language as a Symbol of Identity and a Tool of Politics and Power in Pakistan and Bangladesh

Abstract This study aims to demonstrate the roles that domestic and foreign languages have played and play as signs of national or religious identity and social prestige and as tools of political and economic power in multilingual Pakistan and Bangladesh. Before the countries gained independence from the British Empire in 1947 and before the formation of the Indian Union and Pakistan (which was divided into Pakistan and Bangladesh in 1971), the role of an official language, remote to the majority of population in Indian subcontinent, had been gradually played by Sanskrit, Persian, and English. After gaining independence, the new countries decided to replace English as the official language with domestic languages. Their efforts encountered many problems and resulted in various solutions. Urdu became the state language in Pakistan, which caused resistance in local ethnolinguistic groups because the language had been imported by refugees from India. This resistance was the strongest in East Pakistan, where a strong national and language awareness eventually contributed to the formation of an independent Bangladesh with Bengali as the state language. Despite struggle for the dominance of domestic languages, English has preserved its prestigious position both in Pakistan and Bangladesh, as a symbol of higher social position, a language of education and science, and a tool of economic and political power.

The Dark Side of Electoralism: Opinion Polls and Voting in the 2016 Philippine Presidential Election

Despite the limits of elections as a mechanism to secure accountability and ensure substantive representation, the 2016 elections drew the highest turnout across elections held since the political transition in 1986, a clear indication of electoralism. The high turnout may be a result of a relatively tightly contested race, with each of the main contenders appealing to constituencies that they symbolically represent. Nonetheless, the 2016 Presidential elections remained personality-oriented, media driven and political clan dominated. The eventual winner, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, garnered the presidency given a combination of factors: the clarity of his campaign message – focused on curbing a single problem (criminality, in general, and the illegal drug trade, in particular) that he elevated as the most serious concern that the next president should address; significant support from a geographic area (Mindanao) and associated ethno-linguistic groups (i.e., Bisaya); and, serious questions of character and competence raised against his opponents (i.e. Binay, Poe and Roxas).

Talking with the dead from southern Mexico: Tracing bioarchaeological foundations and new perspectives in Oaxaca

In recent years, bioarchaeological research has emerged as one of the principal tools for studying diverse aspects of ancient society through the analysis of human remains. Oaxaca, Mexico is a culturally diverse region of Mesoamerica that today boasts at least sixteen discrete ethnolinguistic groups. Bioarchaeology in Oaxaca has traditionally focused on the Late Formative and Classic period (500BCE–800CE) Zapotec city of Monte Albán, and on its hinterland. Largely descriptive, these studies provided basic discussions of health, nutrition, and funerary offerings. Beyond the Valley of Oaxaca, much less comprehensive bioarchaeological research has been undertaken to date. Never before have data from the study of human remains in multiple geographical regions and time periods within Oaxaca been assembled in a single venue. The goal of this collection of papers is to bring together the results of bioarchaeological scholarship on diverse topics, time periods, and regions. These studies investigate approximately 3500years of precolumbian history, from the beginnings of the Early Formative (ca. 1650BCE) to the Colonial period. The papers discuss five major geographical areas and consider various cultural groups including the Zapotec, Mixtec, Chontal, and Chatino peoples. This special issue is the first academic product of which we are aware to provide such a concentrated yet diverse consideration of the social context and bioarchaeological significance of ancient human remains from Oaxaca.

Solanum insanum L. (subgenus Leptostemonum Bitter, Solanaceae), the neglected wild progenitor of eggplant (S. melongena L.): a review of taxonomy, characteristics and uses aimed at its enhancement for improved eggplant breeding

Solanum insanum L. (Solanaceaeae) is the wild progenitor of common eggplant (S. melongena L.) and is naturally distributed in south and southeast Asia, Madagascar and Mauritius. Despite interest in its potential for eggplant breeding it has not been studied extensively. Solanum insanum has been subjected to various taxonomic treatments, with several discussions and arguments on its delimitation as a species, due to its close similarities with the cultivated S. melongena and the wild species S. incanum L. from the Middle East and northern Africa. Solanum insanum has long been used in a variety of medicinal and culinary preparations across many different Asian ethnolinguistic groups. Limited studies carried out on its chemical composition and pharmacognostical properties coupled with ethnobotanic studies reveal that S. insanum has potential for eggplant improvement with respect to phytochemical properties of interest for human health. Further study of morphological and genetic diversity in S. insanum is essential to promote its utilization in eggplant breeding, in light of its potential to hybridize with cultivated eggplant successfully. Here we compile and review the taxonomy, phytogeography, ecology and habitat characteristics, cytology, ethnobotany, breeding and phytochemical analysis of S. insanum. A comprehensive botanical description and illustrations for S. insanum are provided. A detailed comparison of S. insanum and its closely allied species, S. melongena and S. incanum is also made. The potential of S. insanum for crop improvement and future research priorities are discussed.

Complete mitochondrial genomes of Thai and Lao populations indicate an ancient origin of Austroasiatic groups and demic diffusion in the spread of Tai\u2013Kadai languages

The Tai–Kadai (TK) language family is thought to have originated in southern China and spread to Thailand and Laos, but it is not clear if TK languages spread by demic diffusion (i.e., a migration of people from southern China) or by cultural diffusion, with native Austroasiatic (AA) speakers switching to TK languages. To address this and other questions, we obtained 1234 complete mtDNA genome sequences from 51 TK and AA groups from Thailand and Laos. We find high genetic heterogeneity across the region, with 212 different haplogroups, and significant genetic differentiation among different samples from the same ethnolinguistic group. TK groups are more genetically homogeneous than AA groups, with the latter exhibiting more ancient/basal mtDNA lineages, and showing more drift effects. Modeling of demic diffusion, cultural diffusion, and admixture scenarios consistently supports the spread of TK languages by demic diffusion.

PRESERVING THE TINGUIAN CULTURAL HERITAGE: MOTHER TONGUE-BASED MULTI-LINGUAL EDUCATION AS TOOL

Cultural heritage is important to people’s identity and character.Preserving the culture is therefore very important for the future generations. The Tinguians who are the natives of Abra Province have their own culture which is distinct from other Filipino ethnolinguistic groups. Studies on the Tinguians however, show that many of their customs, traditions, practices and beliefs are no longer observed or done. To develop socio-cultural awarenesswhich enhances the pride of the learner’s heritage, language and culture,the Department of Education has institutionalized the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education as its fundamental educational policy and program. This study which is a qualitative research aimed to determine how the program helps in the preservation of the Tinguian culture. The interview guide was used to gather data from the teachers, and officials of the selected public schools in Tinguian communities where the program was piloted.These were complemented by the observations of the researchers when they visited the schools. Based on the findings of the study, the first language or mother tongue of the learners is Ilocano thus the medium of instruction for kindergarten to Grade 3 is Ilocano; some of the teachers are not Tinguians and cannot speak the dialect; there is no working orthography of the Tinguian dialects; there are no available teachers guide, reading and instructional materialsin Tinguian; many of the learners whose parents are Tinguians speak Ilocano with their friends and classmates.

Guatemalan Pupils’ Exposure to Spanish and Educational Achievement: A Study across Ethnic Groups and Socioeconomic Status in Urban and Rural Schools

We investigated the relationship of exposure to Spanish and socioeconomic status (SES) with reading and math standardized test scores among third and sixth grade pupils in Guatemala. The results of a multi-group structural equation model and multivariate analysis of covariance led us to conclude that SES and exposure to Spanish are associated to achievement across grades, ethnicities, and area of residence. Exposure to Spanish is more relevant in lower grades whereas area of residence is a consistent predictor across grades. Analysis of equivalence for the various groups suggests a set of consistent relationships across ethno-linguistic groups. Our results confirm previous research indicating that SES is a positive predictor of school achievement and that the compatibility of the pupil’s familiarity with the testing language is positively related to achievement results. We recommend that linguistic competency heterogeneity in terms of competency level in each language be considered and that bilingual interventions be developed, as opposed to adopting models that assume homogeneous linguistic ability across ethnicities.

Past and present dynamics of sorghum and pearl millet diversity in Mount Kenya region.

Crop populations in smallholder farming systems are shaped by the interaction of biological, ecological, and social processes, occurring on different spatiotemporal scales. Understanding these dynamics is fundamental for the conservation of crop genetic resources. In this study, we investigated the processes involved in sorghum and pearl millet diversity dynamics on Mount Kenya. Surveys were conducted in ten sites distributed along two elevation transects and occupied by six ethnolinguistic groups. Varieties of both species grown in each site were inventoried and characterized using SSR markers. Genetic diversity was analyzed using both individual‐ and population‐based approaches. Surveys of seed lot sources allowed characterizing seed‐mediated gene flow. Past sorghum diffusion dynamics were explored by comparing Mount Kenya sorghum diversity with that of the African continent. The absence of structure in pearl millet genetic diversity indicated common ancestry and/or important pollen‐ and seed‐mediated gene flow. On the contrary, sorghum varietal and genetic diversity showed geographic patterns, pointing to different ancestry of varieties, limited pollen‐mediated gene flow, and geographic patterns in seed‐mediated gene flow. Social and ecological processes involved in shaping seed‐mediated gene flow are further discussed.

Phonetic accommodation in a situation of Spanish dialect contact: Coda /s/ and /r̄/ in Chicago

Abstract Work on Spanish in the U.S. has increasingly examined the results of dialect contact. This paper analyzes realizations of syllable-final /s/ and word and syllable-initial /r̄/ in naturalistic interviews among 88 individuals in Chicago belonging to three generations of Mexicans and Puerto Ricans and two generations of “MexiRicans.” It explores: (1) whether realizations change depending on the dialect of the interviewer – that is, whether accommodation is taking place; (2) if there is change across generations; (3) in the case of MexiRicans, whether individuals’ realizations align with the mother’s ethnolinguistic group. Results show that Mexicans’ phonological behavior did not vary for /s/ or /r̄/ according to interlocutor, while Puerto Ricans used velarized /r̄/ more frequently with other Puerto Ricans at a rate approaching significance. Significant differences were also found between generations in several cases but not for mother’s ethnolinguistic group; the interaction of generation and interlocutor showed significance in some cases. We also observed a correspondence between the use of a weakened /s/ and velarized /r̄/, although there was considerable variation among individual speakers.

THE ENIGMA OF ETHIOPIAN SEX RATIOS AT BIRTH.

This study analysed sex ratios at birth (defined as the number of male births per 100 female births) using data on children ever-born from three censuses conducted in Ethiopia in 1984, 1994 and 2007. The results showed very high values by any standard, with an average of 108.4 for a sample of some 8.2 million births, with somewhat lower values in urban areas. Analysis of socioeconomic correlates revealed that the sex ratio varied very much by household wealth, from about 110 for very poor women to about 102 for wealthier women. The high value of the sex ratio at birth in Ethiopia could be explained by poverty, used as a proxy for poor nutritional status. In multivariate analysis, the effects of living in urban areas and of maternal education were less important than household wealth. Among the many ethno-linguistic groups, the Nilotic family had higher sex ratios than other groups. The results were confirmed using data from DHS surveys conducted in the country, and by the analysis of children still living at time of census.

Ethnolinguistic Favouritism in African Politics

I document evidence of favoritism in a panel of 163 ethnolinguistic groups partitioned across 35 African countries. In contrast to previous studies, I construct a computerized lexicostatistical measure of linguistic similarity between each group and their national leader as a novel measure of ethnic proximity. I exploit the well-documented arbitrary placement of African political borders as a source of exogenous within-group variation, where the similarity of the same group varies according to the ethnolinguistic identity of the national leader on each side of the border. To quantify patronage at the group level, I isolate time variation in night light luminosity resulting from changes in the ethnolinguistic identity of a leader. Using a triple-difference estimator I find that a one standard deviation increase in linguistic similarity yields a 7.0 percent increase in luminosity, or a 2.1 percent increase in group-level GDP. I then use the continuity of linguistic similarity to show that favoritism exists among groups that are not coethnic to the leader, where the mean effect of non-coethnic similarity is one quarter the size of the coethnic effect. I corroborate this evidence using individual-level data and establish that it's where an individual lives and the attached ethnolinguistic identity that predicts favoritism, not the identity of the individual respondent.

A Genome-Wide Search for Greek and Jewish Admixture in the Kashmiri Population.

The Kashmiri population is an ethno-linguistic group that resides in the Kashmir Valley in northern India. A longstanding hypothesis is that this population derives ancestry from Jewish and/or Greek sources. There is historical and archaeological evidence of ancient Greek presence in India and Kashmir. Further, some historical accounts suggest ancient Hebrew ancestry as well. To date, it has not been determined whether signatures of Greek or Jewish admixture can be detected in the Kashmiri population. Using genome-wide genotyping and admixture detection methods, we determined there are no significant or substantial signs of Greek or Jewish admixture in modern-day Kashmiris. The ancestry of Kashmiri Tibetans was also determined, which showed signs of admixture with populations from northern India and west Eurasia. These results contribute to our understanding of the existing population structure in northern India and its surrounding geographical areas.

Language and social distinction: speaking Darija with the right accent

ABSTRACTIn a multilingual setting such as Morocco, the dynamics of socio-political and economic relations are bound to be affected by power and status relationships among different ethno-linguistic groups and languages. The fact that there are several languages and dialects on the linguistic scene of Morocco makes competition and status allocation unavoidable. As such, the status of each language derives primarily from the function it serves within society. This paper argues that in addition to the utility of a language and its instrumental value in guaranteeing power and upward mobility, speaking with the ‘right’ accent can also confer status and prestige on the speaker of that language. In the case of Morocco, the variety of Arabic spoken in Fez is perceived to be the most instrumental and prestigious among all other varieties. The opposite is true for most other varieties, and the Berber language does not fare any better, for it continues to be viewed as having no symbolic capital because of its association with what is rural and folkloric in Morocco, despite the state’s recent official recognition of the Berber language and culture.

Negotiating access to a diagnosis of dementia: Implications for policies in health and social care.

The 'Pathways to Diagnosis' study captured the experience of the prediagnosis period of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias through indepth interviews with 29 persons with dementia and 34 of their family caregivers across four sites: anglophones in Calgary, francophones in Ottawa, Chinese-Canadians in Greater Vancouver and Indo-Canadians in Toronto. In this cross-site analysis, we use the 'Candidacy' framework to comprehensively explore the challenges to securing a diagnosis of dementia in Canada and to develop relevant health and social policy. Candidacy views eligibility for appropriate medical care as a process of joint negotiation between individuals and health services, which can be understood relative to seven dimensions: identification of need, navigation, appearances at services, adjudication by providers, acceptance of/resistance to offers, permeability of services and local conditions. Interviewees experienced challenges relative to each of the seven dimensions and these varied in form and emphasis across the four ethno-linguistic groups.

Multilingual Accommodation in Namibia

This study examined how six different ethnolinguistic groups in Windhoek, capital of Namibia, adjust their language use during intergroup encounters. Invoking communication accommodation theory, we predicted that relatively low-vitality groups (high-vitality groups) would be inclined towards linguistic convergence (maintenance), but that these general patterns would be moderated by prevailing sociocultural norms and each group’s language proficiency. These hypotheses were largely supported. Relatively low-vitality groups tended to linguistically converge (typically via lingua francas), whereas relatively high-vitality groups tended to engage in linguistic maintenance. This resulted in two distinct patterns of adjustment: (a) symmetrical accommodation in interactions involving groups of relatively equal vitality, typically consisting of mutual convergence to lingua francas or mutual maintenance of a shared heritage language and (b) asymmetrical accommodation in intergroup interactions involving groups of relatively unequal vitality, typically consisting of upward convergence among lower vitality groups, and maintenance among higher vitality groups.

On the Bantu expansion

Here we report the results of fine resolution Y chromosomal analyses (Y-SNP and Y-STR) of 267 Bantu-speaking males from three populations located in the southeast region of Africa. In an effort to determine the relative Y chromosomal affinities of these three genotyped populations, the findings are interpreted in the context of 74 geographically and ethnically targeted African reference populations representing four major ethno-linguistic groups (Afro-Asiatic, Niger Kordofanin, Khoisan and Pygmoid). In this investigation, we detected a general similarity in the Y chromosome lineages among the geographically dispersed Bantu-speaking populations suggesting a shared heritage and the shallow time depth of the Bantu Expansion. Also, micro-variations in the Bantu Y chromosomal composition across the continent highlight location-specific gene flow patterns with non-Bantu-speaking populations (Khoisan, Pygmy, Afro-Asiatic). Our Y chromosomal results also indicate that the three Bantu-speaking Southeast populations genotyped exhibit unique gene flow patterns involving Eurasian populations but fail to reveal a prevailing genetic affinity to East or Central African Bantu-speaking groups. In addition, the Y-SNP data underscores a longitudinal partitioning in sub-Sahara Africa of two R1b1 subgroups, R1b1-P25* (west) and R1b1a2-M269 (east). No evidence was observed linking the B2a haplogroup detected in the genotyped Southeast African Bantu-speaking populations to gene flow from contemporary Khoisan groups.

Types of spatial mobility and change in people's ethnic residential contexts

Background: Most studies of the ethnic composition of destination neighbourhoods after residential moves do not take into account the types of moves people have made. However, from an individual perspective, different types of moves may result in neighbourhood environments which differ in terms of their ethnic composition from those in which the individuals previously lived. Objective: We investigate how the ethnic residential context changes for individuals as a result of different types of mobility (immobility, intra-urban mobility, suburbanisation, and long-distance migration) for residents of the segregated post-Soviet city of Tallinn. We compare the extent to which Estonian and Russian speakers integrate in residential terms. Methods: Using unique longitudinal Census data (2000-2011) we tracked changes in the individual ethnic residential context of both groups. Results: We found that the moving destinations of Estonian and Russian speakers diverge. When Estonians move, their new neighbourhood generally possesses a lower percentage of Russian speakers compared with when Russian speakers move, as well as compared with their previous neighbourhoods. For Russian speakers, the percentage of other Russian speakers in their residential surroundings decreases only for those who move to the rural suburbs or who move over longer distances to rural villages. Contribution: By applying a novel approach of tracking the changes in the ethnic residential context of individuals for all mobility types, we were able to demonstrate that the two largest ethnolinguistic groups in Estonia tend to behave as ‘parallel populations’ and that residential integration remains slow.

Admixture into and within sub-Saharan Africa.

Similarity between two individuals in the combination of genetic markers along their chromosomes indicates shared ancestry and can be used to identify historical connections between different population groups due to admixture. We use a genome-wide, haplotype-based, analysis to characterise the structure of genetic diversity and gene-flow in a collection of 48 sub-Saharan African groups. We show that coastal populations experienced an influx of Eurasian haplotypes over the last 7000 years, and that Eastern and Southern Niger-Congo speaking groups share ancestry with Central West Africans as a result of recent population expansions. In fact, most sub-Saharan populations share ancestry with groups from outside of their current geographic region as a result of gene-flow within the last 4000 years. Our in-depth analysis provides insight into haplotype sharing across different ethno-linguistic groups and the recent movement of alleles into new environments, both of which are relevant to studies of genetic epidemiology.

Promoting Unity in Diversity: The Imperative of Social Transformation for Managing Boko Haram Uprising in Nigeria

Since the attainment of flag independence in 1960, Nigeria has been grappling with how to ensure unity in diversity among its various regional, religious and ethno-linguistic groups. Successive governments have strategized different mechanisms aimed at promoting national integration including the establishment of the National Youth Service Corps, building of Unity Schools, state and locality creation, implementation of a Federal Character principle, and the zoning of power positions, among several public policies. Despite these measures, Nigeria remains divided and prone to sectarian violence. In the past, many had called for the convocation of a sovereign national conference to renegotiate the terms of Nigerian unity. Currently, the Boko Haram radical Islamic sect is engaged in a rebellion against the state in the hope of establishing a theocracy governed by Sharia law. This article interrogates the role of social transformation in mitigating the Boko Haram terrorism. It argues that Islamic extremism is a manifestation of poor governance, especially the inability of governments at all levels to mainstream the importance of tolerance among the diverse social groups particularly across religious divides. The article stresses the need for peace education, principally the use of social transformation as a management tool of identity conflict by inculcating the right values in people starting from childhood. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2016.v6n2p41