A compact and forthright enumeration of childish allegiances to
group identities. The essential motive for clutching at any view of
self based on a group narrower than the human species, Isaacs
suggests, is the infantile fear of aloneness. And the lack of other
sources of self-esteem in this society drives people to soothe and
protect themselves with ethnic Linus blankets. A puerile emphasis
on bodily features is found not only in the imposition of "skin"
concepts on black people, but in most nationalist and ethnic
group-think. The magic of names and language, reflected in the term
"mother tongue," is grounded in the baby's reliance on his parents
to control the world for him by unknown but powerful means.
Religious magic is more complicated, Isaacs continues, but often
boils down to the same "warming comforters"; and national adherence
depends on "powerful primordial associations." Having so concisely
dissected these limitations on an individual's ability to think
rationally about the world as a whole, one expects Isaacs - author
of The Failure of the Chinese Revolution - widely considered one of
the best studies ever done of the early days of Maoist movement -
to offer a firmer conclusion than his parting hope that perhaps
someday we will see a pacific, wholesome pluralism of groups. Two
other major gaps occur in his prefatory historical discussions - he
writes as if the post-colonial Balkanization of Asian and African
regions just "happened" without Western involvement; and, though he
discusses various kinds of Jewish "tribal" identity at length, he
omits to mention the way the Nazis played on "group identity," for
example in occupied Belgium and Czechoslovakia, not to mention
Germany. The divide-and-rule principle of power politics is here
ignored in favor of "primordial" instincts; a dear survey of half
the picture. (Kirkus Reviews)
"A pacesetter, at the forefront in recognizing the persisting
importance of 'ethnicity as a force both in building nations and in
tearing them apart,' it is also a work of literary merit, crafted
by a master wordsmith." So comments Lucian Pye in reflecting on
this classic work in political science and sociology about group
identities bending and shaping themselves under the pressure of
political change. These transformations seem to have basic
similarities, whether they take place in Little Rock or Kenya,
Vietnam or Pakistan, Belgium or Biafra. Isaacs sorts out some
fundamentals in forming group identity: the body, names, language,
history of origins, religion, and nationality. These are dynamic
elements that are melded together but have the possibility of
creating new pluralisms.
General
Imprint: |
Harvard University Press
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
December 1989 |
First published: |
1989 |
Authors: |
Harold Isaacs
|
Foreword by: |
Lucian W. Pye
|
Dimensions: |
216 x 140 x 14mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback
|
Pages: |
242 |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-674-44315-0 |
Categories: |
Books >
Social sciences >
Politics & government >
General
|
LSN: |
0-674-44315-2 |
Barcode: |
9780674443150 |
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