Cultural studies

LECTURE 4
PEOPLE, ETHNOS, NATION

P H D , A S S I S TA N T- P R O F E S S O R

Z H A N AT D O S K H O Z H I N A
Presentation outline
People
Ethnos
L. N. Gumilev`s ethnogeny theory
Nation
Ethnocultural stereotypes
Case study
People
People - social community most united by unity of origin, place of residence, language and
culture

Self-
Social Self- We and
History Culture consciou
memory name other
sness
Continued

People

Ethnogenetic Ethnosocial
community community
Ethnos
Ethnos - social group whose members united by ethnic self-consciousness - the
consciousness of its genetic connection with others group`s representatives

Feeling
Integrity of
himself as a “Blood” Historical Genetic
ethnic
descendant relations heredity connection
group
of forefather
L. N. Gumilev`s ethnogeny theory
Special psychic
energy
“passionarians”
One-two
generations
Spreads its
influence
Ethnos origin

One place of Collaborates and

residence activates
Continued

First stage – “passionarian raise” (struggle for power, wars)

Second stage – “passionarian recession” (quiet economic and

cultural development)

There possible more options: 1) accept relict form and fades away in isolation;
2) merges with other ethnic groups and dissolves in them; 3) forks into related
ethnic groups; 4) again came to “passionarian explosion” and give birth to new
ethnic group
Nation
Nation is a ethnosocial community.
Each nation is characterized by
the creation of a single semiotic
field - a system of well-known to
all its representatives iconic
means (language, traditional forms
of behavior, symbolism, etc.). That
ensures mutual understanding and
everyday interaction and
cooperation.
Continued

Ethnical self-consciousness National self-consciousness

depends on human origin depends on human including in
semiotic field and feeling of
involvement in it
DO NOT MUCH
ETHNOCULTURAL STEREOTYPES
It`s a general idea about ​typical features, characterizing any nation.

Autostereotypes Heterostereotypes

what people
what people
think about
think about
their own
other people
people

Important part
of national More critical
self- than AS
consciousness

Promotes
Source of
collaboration and
national
self-affirmation of
prejudice
nation
Case study

I AM CONCEPT
identify yourself – continue the sentence I am… (20 times)
Case study
HOW TO ANALYZE: you are supposed to identify results in next way – if your answers are
connected with community or society (for example, I`m a student; I`m a sister; I`m a brother; I`m
Muslim, Christian, atheist; I`m a sportsman or I`m citizen etc.) put near the answers “S” letter. If
the answers are not connected with society in any way (for example, I`m happy man, I`m smart,
I`m beautiful etc.) you should consider these answers as an individualistic dimension. Count the
“S” letters percentage.
Case study
“S” letters percentage The meaning of percentage
From 0 to 10% Obviously, you are individualist
From 11 to 17% Most likely, you are
individualist
From 18 to 22% These percentages don`t
identify dimension
From 23 to 30% Most likely, you are collectivist
More than 30% Obviously, you are collectivist
 Case study

1. I`ll help my relatives within my means, if they are in financial troubles

2. If human has any problem he should solve it by himself and not to ask advise or help from another
3. I like to be in close relations with my friends
4. I don`t care how my country is perceived by other countries
5. One of the life best thing is that people depend from each other
6. Everything which happens with me is my own business
7. The friendly collective is one of the main aspect during job searching
8. I prefer to solve my problems by myself and not to discuss them with friends
9. Old parents should live with children
10. The most important thing in my life is to make myself happy
11. When human has a private problem he should advise with friends or relatives
12. Human is supposed to organize his life in maximum independent way from another
13. One of the life`s pleasure is to feel an affiliation with more wide group
14. I strive to solve my problems by myself, most of my family`s members try to do the same
Case study
HOW TO ANALYZE: you are supposed to identify results in next way – even numbers of
sentences (2, 4, 6, 8 etc.) identify individualistic dimension, odd numbers of sentences (1, 3,
5, 7 etc.) identify collectivistic dimension. It means that you have to add up the results and
toss a few of even and odd sentences separately. For example, if you have such results as: 1)
9; 2) 5; 3) 8; 4) 2; 5) 7; 6) 9… you should add up 9+8+7 and toss a few for identifying
collectivistic parameter; and add up 5+2+9 for identifying individualistic parameter. For
conclusion, you are supposed to compare results of individualistic and collectivistic
dimensions percentages.