Some Issues of the Theories of Ethnicity in Asia

Abstract

Basically, Asia is not a cradle of theories of ethnicity. Yet, with its diversity of population, ethnicities and cultures, this continent has provided the field sites for international anthropologists to study and raise the valuable theories of ethnicity and ethnic identity. Moreover, although adopting the theories of ethnicity from different schools in the world, Ethnology/Anthropology of Asian countries has “indigenized” or “nationalized” these theories so as to adapt to the ethnic practice of indivisual countries and form a specific ethnological/anthropological science. Especially, from the reseach practice, a number of Asian ethnologists/anthropologists have raised a number of theories of ethnicity valuable for Ethnology/Anthropology of the Asian region and the world. This writing presents a study of the theories of ethnicity in Asia from which brings to light the influence of theories of ethnicity of Euro-American Anthropology on Asian Ethnology/Anthropology, the indigenization of the influences of these theories, and the specific contributions of Asian Ethnology/Anthropology to the International Anthropology.