Ethnicity is enduring relationship between more or less bounded groups which perceive themselves as being culturally distinct. TH Erikson 2015.
Features
invoke similar features like shared origins, customs, belief, history, religion and region. Erikson 2015. It may be primordial or situation like based on threat to language or religion.
it exists in binary opposition to the other.
not cultural traits but social boundaries between groups create ethnicity. Barth 1969. Individuals main convert but ethnic boundaries remain as seen in Fur and Nomadic baggara of Sudan. Ethnic identity becomes and is maintained through relational processes of inclusion and exclusion.
Classification of persons into two different kinds and stereotypes in forces ethnicity and may even create power disparity.
Stereotypes provide legitimation of ethnicity.
Ethnic feelings create problems of communalism, regionalism, ethnic violence, caste violence etc. Bru vs mizo tribe conflict. Hindu Muslim riots in India.
Scholar like TN madan Ashish Nandi alpa Shah han S L Sharma have contributed to studying ethnicity and conflicts.
Assam movement it was based on ethnicity as their culture jobs and resources were threatened by Bangladeshi migrants.
So it is important to to build strength from diversity by protecting everyone's rights - economic, cultural and political.