Drain from the bottom: Individual ethnic identity change in southern ecuador

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-1984

Abstract

Although individual ethnic identity change in the Andes is common, it usually requires geographic mobility and deception or occurs in contexts of “intermediate” ethnic groups and ill-defined ethnic boundaries. This is a detailed case study of the bi-ethnic southern Ecuadorian parish of Saraguro where transculturation from the sharply defined ethnic status of indígena (“Indian”) to that of blanco (white) does not require moving away or deceit, is favored by members of the dominant group (blancos), and is undertaken primarily by individuals located at the lowest socioeconomic levels of indígena society. In spite of the openness of ethnic boundaries, the rate of indígenato blancotransculturation has been low and is now decreasing further. © 1984 Oxford University Press.

Publication Title

Social Forces

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