Rethinking Writers’ Ethnic Identity: Essentialism vs. Free Choice

Abstract

Abstract: The paper is a rethinking of writers' ethnic identity by, first of all, summarizing the basis on which ethnic writers are often categorized, namely by blood, nurturing, professed recognition or inclination, and analyzing the defects of such classification. Following this analysis, it discusses the subjective part of ethnic writers' identity selection, focusing mostly on the often neglected elements of identity — its performativity and its temporality; it argues that we need to abandon essentialism by embracing the theory of social constructionism. In today's multilateral and shifting world, the identity of ethnic writers should increasingly be viewed as a constructive process which is mobile, temporary and hybridized.

Key words: ethnic writing, ethnic identity, identity, identity construction

Yu Jianhua. Rethinking Writers’ Ethnic Identity: Essentialism vs. Free Choice[J]. Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art, 2016, 36(6): 193-201.

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(1)本文对这样归类的合理性提出质疑,但为了便于讨论,论文中暂时仍沿用此类称呼。
(2)东干族指移民到中亚吉尔吉斯坦、哈萨克斯坦、乌兹别克斯坦等国的中国回族的后裔。
(3)黄秀铃教授将这一能说明问题的实例用作论文标题“‘糖姐’:试论谭恩美现象”(见“引用作品”)。

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