DISCOURSES OF ETHNIC-MINORITY IDENTITY

This article is concerned with the way ethnic minority identity is pre sented in natural talk. The construction and representation of ethnic categories are studied by analysing discussions held by some ethnicall y Turkish inhabitants of an inner-city quarter in Rotterdam. The parti cipants defined their situation within The Netherlands. This definitio n provided shape and coherence to what was said, and guided the compar isons that were made and the may different categories were presented. It is argued, first, that existing social psychological theories have a restricted and one-sided view of how people from ethnic minority gro ups make social comparisons and define themselves because they predomi nantly focus on status differences. It is shown that the participants construct and cross borders of various categories in defining themselv es. Second, it is shown that there is indeterminacy in the dimensions of comparison used for self-categorization and for the inclusive self- category in terms of which comparisons are made. Third, it is shown th at self-definition in group terms is unavoidably divisive but not nece ssarily oppositional.