Judith Nagata

Bio: Judith Nagata is an academic researcher from York University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Ethnic group & Asian studies. The author has an hindex of 7, co-authored 13 publications receiving 425 citations.

what is a Malay? situational selection of ethnic identity in a plural society

Abstract: Most studies to date of ethnic relations, ethnic boundaries, and criteria used to define ethnic status have been biased toward a particular “assimilationist” model drawn from experience in North America, Australia, etc. These have generally assumed that there is some dominant or ethnically “neutral” area of culture by whose standards all “ethnics” can be judged, and that ethnic identity normally changes in one direction only. This paper examines the case of a plural society in which there is no clear dominant or neutral culture, and in which continuous oscillation of ethnic status occurs without direct assimilation.

Beyond theology: Toward an anthropology of fundamentalism

Abstract: Once considered exclusively a matter of religion, theology, or scriptural correctness, use of the term fundamentalism has recently undergone metaphorical expansion into other domains and, depending on whose voice is being heard, may be applied to extreme forms of nationalism, certain socioreligious (especially Islamist) movements, and other forms of extremist ideological expression. An anthropological approach seeks the common elements amid these apparently diverse cases and, taking into account the hermeneutical problems of exegesis by multiple constituencies, proposes that most "fundamentalisms" involve special forms of identity politics, meaning, and labeling, characterized by a quest for certainty, exclusiveness, and unambiguous boundaries, where the "Other" is the enemy demonized. It also reflects a mind-set uncompromising and antirelativist, as one response to the openness and uncertainties of a cosmopolitan world, and to chart a morally black and white path out of the gray zones of intimidating cultural and religious complexity, [fundamentalism, religion, hermeneutics, Islam]

Christianity among Transnational Chinese: Religious versus (Sub)ethnic Affiliation

Abstract: The approximately 5 per cent of the diaspora Chinese who are Christian are faced with the question as to whether religious or sectarian affiliation takes priority over Chinese unity or sub-Chinese identity. For many, the solution is to form (sub)ethnic congregations, and the issue is how far and how fast they (especially younger members) should “assimilate” linguistically and socially to Anglo-Canadian or other local styles in the host country. One response is the formation of a pan-Chinese transnational Christian organization, the Chinese Coordination Centre for World Evangelism (CCCOWE), whose mission attempts to unite Chinese of all subethnicities, reach Chinese in remote areas, control and manage existing congregations everywhere, and resist local assimilation. Although claiming to represent all Chinese, in fact, CCCOWE began as a Cantonese-medium movement in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China (hereinafter Hong Kong), but is now coming to terms with Chinese Christians from other parts of Asia, as well as with the inevitable localization/anglicization of congregations. Some churches refuse to associate with CCCOWE for dislike of Hong Kong, others due to preference for their own language (Indonesian), or birth place (Malaysia/Singapore). Thus, in some cases, subethnicity is subordinated to religious (Christian) identity across the world, in others, to a pan-Chinese religious membership, while for many, religion continues to follow subethnic lines, variously defined by language or birth place. LA CHRISTIANITE CHEZ LES CHINOIS TRANSNATIONAUX: L'AFFILIATION RELIGIEUSE PAR OPPOSITION A L'AFFILIATION (SOUS)-ETHNIQUE Quelque 5 pour cent de la diaspora chinoise de confession chretienne sont confrontes a la question de savoir si l'affiliation religieuse ou motivee par le sectarisme prend le pas sur l'unite chinoise ou l'identite sous-chinoise. Pour de nombreux Chinois, la solution consiste a constituer des congregations (sous)ethniques, et la question est de savoir jusqu'ou et a quel rythme doit se faire l'assimilation linguistique et sociale dans la societe anglo-canadienne ou dans d'autres types de societes locales du pays d'accueil (et plus particulierement parmi les membres les plus jeunes de ces communautes). On a ainsi pu assister a la formation d'une organisation transnationale panchinoise de confession chretienne, le Centre chinois de coordination de l'evangelisme mondial (CCCOWE), dont la mission est de tenter d'unir les Chinois de tout sous-groupe ethnique, de prendre contact avec les Chinois se trouvant dans des regions isolees, de controler et de gerer les congregations existantes ou qu'elles soient et de resister a l'assimilation locale. Quoique pretendant representer l'ensemble des Chinois, le CCCOWE a pris naissance en tant que mouvement cantonais issu de la region chinoise administrative speciale de Hong Kong, mais il a reussi a s'entendre avec des Chinois chretiens des autres parties d'Asie, et a aussi reussi a s'accommoder de l'inevitable ancrage local et de l'anglicisation des congregations. Certaines eglises refusent de s'associer avec le CCCOWE en raison de leur rejet des Chinois originaires de Hong Kong, et d'autres en raison de leur preference pour leur propre langue (indonesien), ou pour leur lieu de naissance (Malaisie/Singapour). Ainsi, dans certains cas, la sous-ethnicite est subordonnee a l'identite religieuse (chretienne) de par le monde, tandis que dans d'autres cas, elle est subordonnee a une appartenance religieuse panchinoise, alors que pour beaucoup, la religion reste la marque d'une appartenance sousethnique, definie differemment selon la langue ou le lieu de naissance. EL CRISTIANISMO ENTRE LOS CHINOS TRANSNACIONALES: LA RELIGION VERSUS LA AFILIACION ETNICA Aproximadamente el 5 por ciento de la diaspora china esta integrada por cristianos que se enfrentan al dilema de saber si la afiliacion religiosa o sectaria es mas importante que la unidad o sub identidad china. Para muchos, la situacion se traduce en congregaciones etnicas y, por tanto, cabe determinar en que medida y como ioasimilanl e linguistica y socialmente el estilo local y anglocanadiense del pais receptor, especialmente los jovenes. Una de las respuestas es la conformacion de una organizacion transnacional cristiana china, el Centro Chino de Coordinacion del Evangelismo Mundial (CCCOWE, por sus siglas en ingles), tiene por cometido unir a los chinos de todas las etnias, llegar a los chinos en regiones remotas, controlar y administrar las congregaciones existentes en todas partes, y resistir a la asimilacion local. Aunque dicen representar a todos los chinos, en realidad empezaron como un movimiento cantones en la Region Administrativa Especial de Hong Kong de la Republica Popular China (de ahora en adelante Hong Kong), pero se han asociando a los chinos cristianos de otras partes de Asia, y tambien se han adaptado al inevitable uso del ingles en ciertas congregaciones dada su localizacion. Algunas iglesias se niegan a asociarse al CCCOWE porque no aceptan a Hong Kong, otras porque prefieren utilizar su propio idioma (Indonesia) o dependen del lugar de nacimiento (Malasia/Singapur). Por ello, en algunos casos, la etnia esta subordinada a la identidad religiosa (cristiana) en todo el mundo y en otros, a la pertenencia religiosa pan-china, mientras que para muchos, la religion sigue dependiendo de caracteristicas etnicas determinadas por el idioma o por el lugar de origen.

Ethnonationalism versus religious transnationalism : Nation-building and Islam in Malaysia

Abstract: En Malaisie, l'islam apparait comme un phenomene plurifonctionnel dans la societe: il est symbole de l'identite et de la domination malaises, renfort pour le controle de l'Etat par l'elite dirigeante. Il agit comme sauf-conduit pour les organisations religieuses et les groupes d'interets hors de Malaisie et comme une alternative politique et morale subversive face au status quo. L'islam est un pilier de l'image nationale (ethnonationalisme). L'Etat evoque les gloires anciennes de la civilisation islamique mais se degage aussitot des mouvements fondamentalistes et fanatiques

The Making and Unmaking of Ethnic Boundaries: A Multilevel Process Theory 1

Abstract: Primordialist and constructivist authors have debated the nature of ethnicity “as such” and therefore failed to explain why its characteristics vary so dramatically across cases, displaying different degrees of social closure, political salience, cultural distinctiveness, and historical stability. The author introduces a multilevel process theory to understand how these characteristics are generated and transformed over time. The theory assumes that ethnic boundaries are the outcome of the classificatory struggles and negotiations between actors situated in a social field. Three characteristics of a field—the institutional order, distribution of power, and political networks—determine which actors will adopt which strategy of ethnic boundary making. The author then discusses the conditions under which these negotiations will lead to a shared understanding of the location and meaning of boundaries. The nature of this consensus explains the particular characteristics of an ethnic boundary. A final section i...

Institutions and Ethnic Politics in Africa

Abstract: 1. Introduction: institutions and ethnic politics Part I. Accounting for the Ethnic Cleavage Structure: 2. Accounting for Zambia's ethnic cleavage structure I: the emergence of tribal identities in colonial Northern Rhodesia 3. Accounting for Zambia's ethnic cleavage structure II: the emergence of language identities in colonial Northern Rhodesia Part II. Accounting for Ethnic Coalition-Building Choices: 4. Ethnicity and ethnic politics in post-independence Zambia 5. Explaining changing patterns of ethnic politics Part III. Testing the Model: 6. Competing explanations 7. Ethnic campaigning: testing the observable implications of the model for elite behavior 8. Ethnic voting: testing the observable implications of the model for mass behavior Part IV. Beyond Zambia: 9. Regime change and ethnic politics in Africa 10. Beyond regime change, beyond Africa Appendix A. Native authorities and tribal identifications Appendix B. Survey and focus group methodologies Appendix C. Tribal affiliations of parliamentary candidates Appendix D. Tribal demographies of electoral constituencies.

A Class Act: Anthropology and the Race to Nation Across Ethnic Terrain

Abstract: and to disclose their meaning for the political and economic dimensions of social organiz ation . Over this same period the discipline has grappled with a wide range of theoretical and methodological problems. Political changes have redrawn boundaries be­ tween many of its traditional culture areas and the populations within them, while international economic interdepend encies have raised questions about the appropriate scale for analytic uni ts. Many investigators began to recognize that the typological boundaries they had drawn around populatio ns, and the types of social organization so outl ined obscured as much as they revealed about social processes within and between these popUlati ons. As schol ars debated the analytic merit of the boundar ies they had established between such conceptual domains as kinship , politi cs, econom ics, and religion, the discipline was fragmenting into numerous topical subdisciplines, such as economic anthr opology, political anthrop ology, and symbolic anthr opol­ ogy--each struggling to define its units, scale, and context of analysis , and the implications of different topical analyses for the overall objectives of the discipline.

Algorithms as culture: Some tactics for the ethnography of algorithmic systems

Abstract: This article responds to recent debates in critical algorithm studies about the significance of the term “algorithm.” Where some have suggested that critical scholars should align their use of the ...

Nationalist Exclusion and Ethnic Conflict: Shadows of Modernity

Abstract: Introduction Part I. Theoretical Explorations: 1. Compromise and closure: a theory of social dynamics 2. The making of modern communities Part II. State Building and Ethnic Conflict: 3. Who owns the state? Ethnic conflicts after the end of empires 4. Nationalism and ethnic mobilisation in Mexico 5. From empire to ethnocracy. Iraq since the Ottomans Part III. The Politics of Exclusion in Nationalised States: 6. Racism and xenophobia 7. Nationalising multi-ethnic Switzerland.