Positive ethnocentrism
Positive ethnocentrism is a sociological concept that refers to an individual's loyalty to their own cultural group, which is often perceived as superior to others. This form of ethnocentrism can foster a strong sense of identity and belonging among group members, uniting them through shared values and beliefs. While it can enhance group cohesion and provide personal benefits to individuals, positive ethnocentrism also has its drawbacks. It can lead to a justification for imposing one's cultural norms on others, potentially resulting in hostility or attempts to change or eliminate differing cultures. Critics have highlighted that positive ethnocentrism often lacks the capacity for cultural acceptance, as it may prevent individuals from appreciating the diversity of other cultures. As a counterpoint, the concept of balanced ethnocentrism encourages self-awareness and a more open-minded approach, advocating for intercultural dialogue, tolerance, and an understanding of cultural relativism. By promoting these values, individuals can engage more constructively with cultural differences rather than viewing them through a lens of superiority or deficit.
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Positive ethnocentrism
For all humans, the very long and complex process of acquiring culture through socialization leads to the development of prejudices about other groups or cultures that are seen as different. Consequently, ethnocentrism is a general belief, and frequently a demonstrated practice, that one’s group or culture is superior to that of others.
Ethnocentrism has both positive and negative functions. Positive ethnocentrism, as defined by sociologists Joe R. Feagin and Clairece Booher Feagin in the fifth edition of their textbook Racial and Ethnic Relations (1996), is “characterized by a loyalty to the values, beliefs, and members of [one’s] own group.” Positive ethnocentrism permits individuals to derive personal benefit from belonging to what they perceive as a superior group or culture and may also provide individuals with a particular identity, which otherwise they would not have. Positive ethnocentrism may also integrate an otherwise indistinct group, providing members with a strong sense of belonging, a sort of consciousness of kind, one that may even justify their sociopolitical actions against other groups.
The problem with positive ethnocentrism is that it may encourage and even become a rationale for attempting to change other groups by whatever means deemed necessary, even annihilation. Positive ethnocentrism does nothing to permit people to accept the ways of others whom they see as different. As an alternative, political sociologist Audrey Alejandro proposed the concept of balanced ethnocentrism, which emphasizes self-awareness and recognizing the limitations of personal biases that impact one’s view of other cultures. From a balanced ethnocentrism perspective, individuals should be open to learning about other cultures by practicing cultural relativism, be open to intercultural dialogue, and promote tolerance and diversity.
Bibliography
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Feagin, Joe R., and Clairece Booher Feagin. Racial and Ethnic Relations. 5th ed., Prentice, 1996.
Feagin, Joe R., and Clairece Booher Feagin. Racial and Ethnic Relations. 10th ed., Pearson, 2019.
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