Ethno-cultural stereotypes in the function of local identities

Desanka, Nikolić

Glasnik Etnografskog instituta SANU

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http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/Article.aspx?ID=0350-08610801115N

2008-2020/03/06/23:43:48

The paper discusses various problems in regional identities of ethnic and other groups in Serbia. According to the author, a forming and maintenance of local identities is under a heavy influence of stereotypes held by one group towards the other, neighboring groups, where ethno-demographic, historical and socioeconomic features also play the role. Cultural and character features of a group stand out as markers of the group homogeneity; these markers also serve to differentiate a group from another, while humor is cited as a primary way to express a stereotype. The author further discusses long lasting and slow changes in stereotyping, and argues that stereotypes could be overcome with a more even distribution of existential means along side better understanding of ethno-cultural characteristics of an ethnicity. The research in Serbia confirms inter-dependency of local identities and stereotypes; this, in turn, creates conditions for forming cultural types of population (in this case the Goranci and Era) which represent local cultures and carriers of local identities.

history, local identity, ethnic group, stereotypes, cultural types, ethnodemographic processes, socio-economic factors