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Sociological theory of race and ethnicity: contesting, substituting or complementing?

Issues, related to race and ethnicity, have always attracted attention from many. Throughout the development of sociology, many theories have been developed to explain these phenomena. Most of the time, however, the theories are read as contesting each other. Similarly, argument was laid out as tho...

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Main Authors: Chin, Yee Mun, Lee, Yok Fee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universiti Putra Malaysia Press 2010
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/16752/1/72.%20Sociological%20Theories%20of%20Race%20and%20Ethnicity.pdf
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/16752/
http://www.pertanika.upm.edu.my/Pertanika%20PAPERS/JSSH%20Vol.%2018%20(2)%20Sep.%202010/17%20Pg%20357-365.pdf
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spelling my.upm.eprints.167522015-10-21T00:42:22Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/16752/ Sociological theory of race and ethnicity: contesting, substituting or complementing? Chin, Yee Mun Lee, Yok Fee Issues, related to race and ethnicity, have always attracted attention from many. Throughout the development of sociology, many theories have been developed to explain these phenomena. Most of the time, however, the theories are read as contesting each other. Similarly, argument was laid out as though the theories are contesting to explain the truth of race and ethnicity. Readers have also contributed to the contest. In fact, it is the readers who, most of the time, categorize the theories they read into school of thought and consequently the theories are contesting at least from the readers’ perspective. The theories are also seen as trying to substitute each other, either from the theoreticians’ point of view or from the readers’ point of view. Maybe it is through these contests and the urge to substitute, more and more theories are constructed to explain race and ethnicity. However, instead of contesting and substituting, the theories should also be read as complementing. Sociology is a field that enables society to be understood. Theories related to race and ethnicity should be stitched together to provide the big picture which ultimately leads readers to understand race and ethnicity phenomena. Therefore, this paper focuses on the thoughts of three social analysts, viz., Banton, Geertz and Eriksen. Their contributions to the understanding of race and ethnicity are immense and have never failed to generate discussions and development relating to these areas. By studying and laying out their ideas in complimenting nature, the big picture of what is race and ethnicity could be developed. The big picture is vital and will give significant input to the understanding of issues related to race and ethnicity, particularly in the plural societies such as Malaysia. Universiti Putra Malaysia Press 2010 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/16752/1/72.%20Sociological%20Theories%20of%20Race%20and%20Ethnicity.pdf Chin, Yee Mun and Lee, Yok Fee (2010) Sociological theory of race and ethnicity: contesting, substituting or complementing? Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 18 (2). pp. 357-365. ISSN 0128-7702; ESSN: 2231-8534 http://www.pertanika.upm.edu.my/Pertanika%20PAPERS/JSSH%20Vol.%2018%20(2)%20Sep.%202010/17%20Pg%20357-365.pdf
institution Universiti Putra Malaysia
building UPM Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider Universiti Putra Malaysia
content_source UPM Institutional Repository
url_provider http://psasir.upm.edu.my/
language English
description Issues, related to race and ethnicity, have always attracted attention from many. Throughout the development of sociology, many theories have been developed to explain these phenomena. Most of the time, however, the theories are read as contesting each other. Similarly, argument was laid out as though the theories are contesting to explain the truth of race and ethnicity. Readers have also contributed to the contest. In fact, it is the readers who, most of the time, categorize the theories they read into school of thought and consequently the theories are contesting at least from the readers’ perspective. The theories are also seen as trying to substitute each other, either from the theoreticians’ point of view or from the readers’ point of view. Maybe it is through these contests and the urge to substitute, more and more theories are constructed to explain race and ethnicity. However, instead of contesting and substituting, the theories should also be read as complementing. Sociology is a field that enables society to be understood. Theories related to race and ethnicity should be stitched together to provide the big picture which ultimately leads readers to understand race and ethnicity phenomena. Therefore, this paper focuses on the thoughts of three social analysts, viz., Banton, Geertz and Eriksen. Their contributions to the understanding of race and ethnicity are immense and have never failed to generate discussions and development relating to these areas. By studying and laying out their ideas in complimenting nature, the big picture of what is race and ethnicity could be developed. The big picture is vital and will give significant input to the understanding of issues related to race and ethnicity, particularly in the plural societies such as Malaysia.
format Article
author Chin, Yee Mun
Lee, Yok Fee
spellingShingle Chin, Yee Mun
Lee, Yok Fee
Sociological theory of race and ethnicity: contesting, substituting or complementing?
author_facet Chin, Yee Mun
Lee, Yok Fee
author_sort Chin, Yee Mun
title Sociological theory of race and ethnicity: contesting, substituting or complementing?
title_short Sociological theory of race and ethnicity: contesting, substituting or complementing?
title_full Sociological theory of race and ethnicity: contesting, substituting or complementing?
title_fullStr Sociological theory of race and ethnicity: contesting, substituting or complementing?
title_full_unstemmed Sociological theory of race and ethnicity: contesting, substituting or complementing?
title_sort sociological theory of race and ethnicity: contesting, substituting or complementing?
publisher Universiti Putra Malaysia Press
publishDate 2010
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/16752/1/72.%20Sociological%20Theories%20of%20Race%20and%20Ethnicity.pdf
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/16752/
http://www.pertanika.upm.edu.my/Pertanika%20PAPERS/JSSH%20Vol.%2018%20(2)%20Sep.%202010/17%20Pg%20357-365.pdf
_version_ 1643826308277338112
score 13.211869

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